


Love and Duty

by LadyShadow01



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-10
Updated: 2018-11-03
Packaged: 2019-02-13 01:32:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 55,561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12972792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyShadow01/pseuds/LadyShadow01
Summary: A year after being discharged from the Guard, Eve has agreed to be sent to Earth with a hundred criminals. As long as she keeps her head down, they won't see her as anything other than their own. But that all changes when a former cadet manages to join them. Someone that knows who she is and hates everything she stands for. Will she survive his wrath? Or give in to what he offers?





	1. Welcome to the Ground

**All rights go to the writers of the 100 and The Chronicles of Riddick for my OCs name.** ****  
**  
** **For the most part this is T-rated but there is profanity, instances of graphic violence and sexual content and so it gets an M rating.**

* * *

 **I** n the cold and void darkness of space, an enormous ship floated along Earth’s orbit, looking upon the planet that was once called home. Long ago, it was divided into twelve federal space stations belonging to twelve different countries and in the year 2054, the divided states agreed to unite to gather resources and populations - creating the Ark. Housing thousands of people, the Ark became a self-sustaining home for the descendants of those who were off-world and inadvertently escaped a devastating attack on Earth - a global armageddon of unprecedented measures. Hundreds of nuclear warheads ransacked the Earth, sparing no one and nothing from its fiery hands of death as the blast clouds swept across the lands and oceans, turning the world into a wasteland of decay. Earth had become a dead planet and after the destruction and chaos, the Ark chose to wait, to allow Earth to cleanse itself so that one day they may return.

 _While everyone else was left to die_ , Eve thought.

She stood at the foot of her metal framed bed, head hung low, transfixed on the light that flickered against the steel of her knife as she twiddled with it, either end revolving between her fingers. The timing of the glint had aligned with the ambient hum of the ship, creating a hypnotic setting and a moment of solace - one that she used to contemplate what was to come in a few hours.

Not unlike all those years ago, the human race was once again faced with the threat of extinction. Resources were diminishing, the Ark’s life supportsaw was dying, and the Ark’s elected delegates - the Council, needed to devise a solution. However temporary it would be. At first, Eve thought they would order a culling like in the past when a number of people were chosen or volunteered to be placed together, sometimes alone with strangers, sometimes with their loved ones - but all together in a small room filled with nothing but the imminent greeting of a peaceful death as the air was vacated, leaving them to fall into a steep slumber and suffocate. Their sacrifice providing an extension for everyone else.

But it was different this time. It wouldn’t be a selected few or volunteers, or even citizens to be offered up to the pyre but the youth rotting away in a prison created to hold those that could not be executed until they were of age. A hundred minors, having awaited for a trial on their eighteenth birthday - which was now no longer an option, were to be sent to Earth to conserve resources and in the hopes the planet had recovered from its ruination - an unlikely situation according to most of the Ark’s scientific officials.

Pessimism was not a trait Eve enjoyed having, she felt it was disabling, restrictive and impeded the ability to overcome obstacles and she tried to keep it to a minimum thought but in this moment, she could not help but believe the only thing waiting for the hundred on Earth was death. Even if the atmosphere had cleared from radiation, there was no certainty the water or food waiting would be in the same condition. It could kill them from the inside and without anything to consume, they would die of starvation. The odds were stacked against them and in result against the Ark’s future if the Earth was not survivable. With the amount of resources and air left, everyone would perish in a few months.

Bringing the knife before her face, she turned it to an upward position, her sapphire gaze trailing up it’s sliver blade, admiring the shine of its smooth and flawless surface, the stainless steel edge as sharp as when she received it on her graduation day from the Cadet program four years ago. It felt like forever since that day but the memory of it was as clear as yesterday’s, remembering the subtle decor of the ceremony - the grey and black banners hanging across the small hall with the Guard’s emblem in the center while her superiors stood aligned to each shake her hand. It was the proudest day of her life - having worked hard, harder than any other Cadet in her class, she finished the program in half the time with the highest honors and the long, many hours of training earned her a place in the Guard and eventually to be the Ark’s executive officer.

But those days were long gone and the only ones to see now were those in which she had to stand back and watch as a hundred teenagers were sacrificed for the survival of thousands.

Only… she wouldn't just be standing back and watching.

“Are you ready?”

Knowing all too well the sound of the authoritative voice, Eve simply looked over her shoulder, acknowledging Councilman Marcus Kane’s presence as he leaned casually against the doorway of her home in his dark blue uniform, his crossed arms instantly voicing disapproval while the natural tight line of his mouth was now teetering down at the edges to form a frown.

“Always,” she responded and turned away, giving the blade one more look before placing her foot on the bed to slide the knife into the inner sleeve of her boot. It adjusted to the small space, remaining in a comfortable snug while the handle remained partially exposed, allowing easy access. She knew it wouldn’t slip out without her knowledge and it would remain invisible against the dark tint of her trousers, especially to the untrained eye. Standing up straight again, she eyed the metal band resting on the bed, its clasp open, revealing the sharp prongs protruding from within.

Taking a breath, she reached for it, the coolness of the metal sending a shiver up her arm as she brought the contraption over the underside of her wrist, feeling the needles prickle into the soft skin.

“Allow me,” Kane said, entering the small room, extending his hand for the device.

Eyeing him suspiciously for a moment, Eve slowly handed it over. She doubted he would ruin and waste a perfectly good wristband but she remained wary about his willingness to help, even if it was a small gesture. Kane hadn’t approved what she was doing - in fact, he had openly opposed the council’s decision to send her with the hundred to the ground, even though it was she that offered. He argued it was unnecessary and a major loss to the guard when the Ark would need to implement martial law during the months to come if the Earth was indeed uninhabitable - which he thoroughly believed. Being a man of preparation, he was always ready for the worst - now more than ever as he believed, without a doubt, that civilization and order would crumble under the threat of extinction, and the council would need to be ready to take drastic measures - measures she didn’t agree with. It would be a dark time and Eve felt relieved, if even for a moment and at the risk of sounding like a coward, knowing she wouldn’t need to be the one to carry out those measures. Not anymore. There were enough she had done as an XO to rob her of sleep every night for the next decade.  

Holding out her wrist, he made sure to align it before closing the band around her wrist, the clamps making a crude clicking sound as it locked, making Eve wince in pain. Unable to do anything but grit her teeth, she balled her hand into a fist, hoping it would dull the searing sting in her arm.

Kane raised an eyebrow at her feebleness, unable to believe that Eve would buckle under the discomfort of a few needles when she had met the end of larger and sharper objects throughout her career. Dismissing the odd reaction, he examined the bracelet, turning her wrist to inspect the small lights that flickered on confirming it was reading the young woman’s vital signs and sending them to the control room where it would join many others.

“That hurt,” she uttered, earning a doubtful look from Kane. “It did.”

“It’s the only way we’ll know if you’re alive,” he responded, releasing her wrist. “And the only way we’ll know if the Ark is safe if communication is lost.”

“Got it,” she blurted, taking her arm back to sooth the surrounding skin, feeling that he could have been a bit more graceful about it.

But Kane was right. The ship carrying the hundred was old and even with its recent upgrades and repairs, it was still a sketchy ride to take across hundreds of thousands of meters through the atmosphere. She’d be surprised if the circuitry didn’t fry on the way down and even more impressed if the ship itself didn’t burst into flames or pieces along the way.

Clearing her throat, she pushed the creeping negative thoughts to the back of her mind, instead wanting to focus on the mission and looked at Kane as she always did for an inspiration of strength but she didn't find the usual display of stoicism and fortitude Kane was known to have. His hardened and expressionless demeanor had mended into one of solemnity and she knew he wasn’t angry anymore, instead he was something he rarely showed. Sadness.

The image made her chest tighten, the air catching in her throat and she wanted to say something to make him feel better - anything, anything to make it go away but she couldn’t. She wouldn’t. There was nothing to say and nothing that could be said to change the situation. The decision was final and it was better that he accepted it now than later when she would no longer be around. Eve turned away, not wanting the moment to linger any longer at the risk of it becoming another discussion of convincing her to reconsider.

Walking over to the metal chair next to the head of the bed, she reached for the dark-tinted jacket slouched over the frame, slipping it over her black camisole, feeling its coolness scatter across her skin. To the casual observer, it looked like a regular garment - like any other flight jacket produced on the Ark and with a hood hanging behind it for comfort. But not too long ago, she had installed a holster in the front to carry a handgun and a small pocket in the back, hidden within the seams for secret storage. She created a thin slit within her right sleeve, one at the seams of her shoulder and the other at end to carry small blades in case she found herself in a constrictive situation. With such modifications and having had the garment for almost a decade without patch work, it became her favorite jacket and most likely her only one for an indefinite amount of time.

“I know you feel that you need to do this,” Kane said, watching as she reached under her pillow, retrieving the pistol from underneath and then secure it within her jacket. “But I want you to know that you don’t have to.”

Eve stopped, her hands still within the folds of her jacket and sighed, annoyed they were going to have this conversation again. She turned around with a stern expression, removing her hand and placing it on her waist. “It’s done, Marcus. I’m not backing out.”

“I know.” He shook his head. “That’s not what I’m talking about.”

Eve furrowed her brow, confused of what he was referring to. Noticing her incertitude, Kane half-smiled and approached the young woman, allowing a tender expression to wash over his features as he placed a firm but light hand on her shoulder, his gaze looking into hers.

“What I mean is that I know you feel you need to do this after everything that’s happened… but you don’t have to… because you’re the best damn guard the Ark has ever had and nothing will ever change that. Nothing. And I want you to know that I couldn't be more proud of you.” With tears teetering in his eyes, he dropped his hand to extend it. “It’s been my greatest privilege to be a part of your life, Eve Logan.”

Looking down at his hand, she felt an overwhelming sense of sorrow wash over her, beginning to realize she was losing the only person that ever cared about her. In the midst of their arguing and bickering, the harsh reality of her loss as well as his hadn’t dawned on her, not really. What a fool she had been.

She never cried, ever. Not even when her parents died years ago - but his words struck her deep and she couldn’t prevent the tears from building along the waterline of her own eyes, threatening to fall down her cheeks. She wanted to thank him for everything he had done for her. Even when she was a lousy kid, he always believed in her, never allowing her to feel sorry for herself or settle for less. Instead, his unrelenting motivation pushed her to work harder, to be a better person, and to never give up. He always fueled her potential and even though their blood was not the same, she considered Kane as a father, a protector, a mentor, and most of all… a friend. She wanted to tell him that he was wrong, that she wasn’t going to the ground for a tainted legacy or redemption but because it was what he would do if he was in her position, contrary to what he may think.

He was a great and brave man and she would do anything to live up to him and everything he saw her to be. Words could not express her gratitude.

Straightening her stance and tightening her jaw, she returned an assertive nod and shook his hand, knowing the greatest thanks she could give him was to serve the Ark the best she could… as he had.

“I won’t let you down,” she said, a tear falling down her cheek to settle on her jawline.

“I know you won’t.” He smiled softly, the thumb of his free hand reaching to wipe away the tear and after a moment of looking at each other with sorrow-stricken eyes, he pulled her into an embrace.

Eve held him close, her chin resting on his shoulder. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

“It’s alright,” he whispered back, giving her a gentle pat, feeling the guilt wash over them both. “I’m the one that’s sorry. I should have been there for you and I wasn’t.” Slowly pulling away with his hands on her shoulders, he looked at her. “I hope you can forgive me.”

Eve wasn’t sure if he was referring to what happened a year ago or when she chose to go to the ground but either way, she didn't care at the moment. She didn’t want to leave him thinking that she held some sort of grudge.

“There’s nothing to forgive.” She smiled, wiping her cheeks.

Kane smiled back. Giving her one last look before taking a step to the side and looking over to the door. “The prisoners are being boarded right now. You should go.”

Eve stared at the opening leading out into the grey, metal hallway and took a deep breath, clearing her mind of any doubt, not wanting to let anything alter her focus.

“Goodbye, Marcus,” she said, staring into his sad eyes. “May we meet again.”

“May we meet again.”

oOo

Upon arriving to the boarding unit, horrid screams and shouts echoed against the metal walls of the small ship and out into the hallway, greeting Eve as she approached the entrance, the cold air from the vessel wafting against the olive skin of her face and blowing the free strands of her pull-backed hair every which way. It made the small hairs on the back of her neck stand, knowing that the only thing between the dark, freezing void of space and where she stood was an aged and worn ship that was to be dropped thousands of kilometers and into a radiation soaked planet. And quite frankly, she wasn’t sure what scared her more - the possibility of the ship breaking apart and being sucked into space, burning to bits on the way down, or rotting from radiation.

 _All sounds like a great way to go,_ she thought, her small sense of sarcasm the only provision of comfort.

Standing right outside the entrance, she stopped and stared into the dim-lit vessel, her heart pumping like a drum, her clammy hands opening and closing as she tried to rid the dampness collecting within them. She rarely ever felt fear - scared maybe, at times - but true fear, the kind felt from the light brush of death’s hand against your cheek, was a guest that rarely ever knocked at her door. It made her skin crawl, the empty feeling filling her lungs leaving her breathless and for a moment, she felt she would topple over and faint - all the while remaining still, unmoved and visually calm to any random onlooker.

“I’m not eighteen!” a prisoner howled from behind her, sending a waking shock up her spine as he repeated the statement at the top of his lungs.

Managing to remain upright from the slight panic attack, Eve stepped aside, watching as the prisoner continued to fight against the guards holding him, using his weight to pull away and planting his feet on the floor, rendering them from moving.

“Shut it!” one of the guards barked before jabbing the end of an electric wand into his back, the boy’s teeth gritting and body convulsing from the crackling surge running through his bones. He went numb, his knees buckling beneath him, allowing the guards to lift him by the arms and take him into the ship, his feet dragging behind them.

Frowning, Eve continued watching as they disappeared into the upper levels and wondered if Hell looked any different at the moment. She took a deep breath, doing her best to regain her nerve and remain collected in the midst of all the mayhem. Stepping into the hollow ship and shunning the surrounding screams, she focused on her mission, reminding herself of why she was there in the first place.

_I need to be strong. For me. For the Ark. No matter what._

Walking past the rows of chairs, she sat in the farthest seat in the back on the lowest floor, near a few prisoners as the guards proceeded to the upper levels to seat the last of some unconscious prisoners. Pulling the straps over her torso, she buckled them into their safety lock, hoping they were more secure than how they felt before settling against the stiff seat, finding a little girl fast asleep in the chair in front of her. Looking around, the small level was dark like the end of a cave while most of the dim light resonated from the higher levels and it only became darker as the last of the guards exited and the ramp began to close, the light outside disappearing from the corner of her eye. There was a loud pound and then hissing as the door finally shut, making the howling in the ship grow into a loud hysteria, sending a chill down her spine that trailed back up, making her stomach churn.

Settling her breathing with deep inhalations, she tried to relax, not wanting to give in to the fear.. She didn't need fear right now, didn't want it. She wanted to face the possibility of death with the same aptitude she had with life, with strength and fortitude but the thoughts and questions continued to fill her head, taking ahold of her rationale.

Would a hundred year old ship actually make it through the atmosphere without burning to hell? How long would it take for radiation to kill everyone? Would it be slow enough for her to be able to contact the Ark and warn them? Would it even be necessary if they would know the answer once everyone ultimately died?

Shaking her head as if it would erase the thoughts, she knew being paranoid wouldn't help. It would only lead to panic and she couldn't have that happen. Not now, not ever. She needed something - anything to channel her emotions and regain control over them. Returning her attention to the little girl, she focused on her, analyzing her small figure slouched in an oversized jacket, fast asleep from sedation while drool trailed down the red seat belt and over her lap. Even in what looked like a very uncomfortable position, the girl seemed at peace, blissfully sleeping away the anxiety of the situation and it helped Eve calm down seeing something not in panic or distress like the rest of the world.

Slowly regaining control, her breathing lessened, the tightness in her chest loosened, and she could see beyond the tunnel surrounding her vision. She could smell the stiff air again - all thanks to this little girl and in return, Eve hoped she wouldn’t wake up from her sleep anytime soon.

Her inner tranquility returned but the outer mayhem remained as shouts continued to fill the ship as more prisoners slowly began to wake, only to be greeted with an immediate panic once they realized they were no longer in their cells or anywhere recognizable.

Sighing, Eve rested her head against the hard seat and closed her eyes to zone out the cries, waiting for it to be over soon.

After a moment, low groans to her left caught her attention. Opening her eyes, she looked over, watching the prisoner slouched in the adjacent seat slowly begin to move, the grey beanie over his head slowly rising as he woke from the heavy sedative. After a few seconds, the young man with dark hair resting at his shoulders, came to and looked around, eyes puffy and squinting before adjusting to the dim light. He examined the surrounding area, his eyes landing on the little girl with a blank look before his gaze trailed to Eve, still groggy and confused. His brown eyes blinked, seemingly trying to recognize her but once determining he didn't, he looked over to the rest of the ship, seeing the other prisoners fastened in their seats.

After agreeing to be sent to the ground, Eve had memorized everyone’s profiles a hundred times over, remembering their names, faces, history and their reason for incarceration but she didn't need to memorize a profile to know the kind of fool this guy was. Everyone knew about the infamous Spacewalker who took an illegal stroll into space, wasting roughly three months of oxygen supply and making that month one of Eve’s most difficult as she and the guards were ordered to arrest and float as many people as they legally could to make up for the loss.

Needless to say, Finn Collins was not on her good side.

“I guess they decided it was easier to just float us all at once,” he mumbled to no one in particular.

Before she could respond, the screen bolted on the wall above them flickered on to display Chancellor Jaha standing in an empty room with a hardened expression.

“Prisoners of the Ark, hear me now.” The chancellor’s deep voice filled the small ship as he proceeded to explain the dire situation, to explain the reality of their sacrifice and the importance of their survival. He provided instructions on reaching a place called Mount Weather to retrieve supplies which she intended to do once the ship landed.

She could hear Collins shuffle around but didn't pay much mind at what he was doing, wanting to keep her attention on the large screen, listening to Jaha’s instructions but as he began floating off in the corner her eye, she realized he had unfastened his straps and was heading towards a ladder leading up to the upper floor.

“What the hell are you doing?” she exclaimed, trying to keep her voice as low as possible. “Get back in your seat!”

“If I’m gonna die, why not have some fun doing it?” He gave her sly smile over his shoulder before climbing up the metal ladder, his body weightlessly floating in the air as he disappeared into the upper levels.

Shaking her head, she sighed, remembering that if everyone did survive, she would still need to deal with a hundred immature teenagers, ready to do whatever the hell they wanted. Laying her head back on the seat, Eve closed her eyes again, listening to the colliding noises of the ship and the delinquents howling above, searching again for some form of tranquility in the chaos.

Suddenly, like it had been rudely awoken from its slumber, the ship began to rumble and thrash, its walls and floors creaking and groaning louder with every passing second. Lights flickered like sporadic stars, blinding nearby seaters as their bulbs burst from their cases, shooting sparks across the rooms and over people’s heads. Pipes and tubes ripped from the walls, bursting open and releasing the exhaust into the room to make the air thinner than it already was. The dropship had entered the Earth’s atmosphere meaning it wouldn't be long before the parachutes deployed but minutes passed and Eve began to worry, knowing if they didn’t deploy in time, or at all, it would all be over.

Gripping the straps over her chest, she gritted her teeth waiting for the impact, praying the parachutes to deploy or at least for a quick, painless death. The ship jolted upwards causing her head to drop, her neck threatening to snap from the sheer force before she was flung back into the hard seat, the ship landing with a loud hard crash.

After a moment, the engine and machines slowly whirred to a dead stop, leaving the small population in utter silence. Eve swallowed hard, her widened gaze meeting that of the drooling girl who was now fully awake and frozen in her seat with a petrified look on her face.

“Listen,” a voice was heard from the levels above. “No machine hum.”

“Whoa. That’s a first,” another responded.

The sounds of seat belts unbuckling trailed around the small vessel along with rushing footsteps trampling in all directions until someone shouted, “The outer door is on the lower level!” causing everyone to stampede to the lower level.

Knowing it was going to get crowded very quickly, Eve unclipped the red straps, flinging them away and rushed over to kneel in front of the now bug eyed young girl, paralyzed from the violent wake up call. She examined the girl’s small figure for any signs of injury. “Are you hurt?” She whispered.

The blond haired girl managed to shake her head, her brows furrowed fearfully and cheeks wet and blushed from tears.

“Good. What’s your name, sweetie?” Eve asked.

She knew the girl’s name but didn’t want to scare her or arouse any suspicion. Her name was Charlotte Ridson, daughter of Thomas and Carla Ridson, both of whom were executed for allegedly stealing rations. According to the Ark’s file, Charlotte had attacked a guard out of anger when she watched her parents float - expelled out of an airlock, and was sent to serve the rest of her life in prison.

At twelve years old, Charlotte was one of the youngest people to be ever be incarcerated and the youngest of the hundred.

“Charlotte,” the blonde girl squeaked.

“I’m Eve,” she replied with a soft voice and warm smile, hoping it would be of some comfort. “I know you're scared, Charlotte. I am, too. But if we stick together, I know we can make it out just fine. What do you think?”

Charlotte was reluctant to agree, unsure of whether to trust a complete stranger and Eve didn’t take any offense, knowing that living in a prison at a such a young age - around criminals, around those looking to take advantage of the naive would change anyone’s eagerness to take a stranger’s word. But after a moment of scrutinization, Charlotte returned a tight smile and nodded, her cautious and fearful demeanor somewhat relaxing.

“Good.” Eve grinned and stood. “Alright. Let’s get these off you.”

She began unfastening Charlotte’s straps when people started arguing in the front section about whether or not the door should be opened. Glancing over, much couldn’t be seen through the darkness as a large huddle of people formed around the door, the voices arguing becoming mumbles amongst the murmurs of the small crowd.

Rolling her eyes, she turned away, not caring much for the discussion. The door had to be opened eventually and no debate was needed for that, no debate was needed to know that everyone would die if the air was, in fact, toxic and that the light brush of death’s hand she felt earlier would instead become a crushing choke hold in a matter of seconds. If they were lucky. Otherwise, it would take days to die and even longer if they remained locked up in here.

Unclipping the last strap, she eyed the group, making sure they remained at a distance before turning back to Charlotte.

“Alright,” she whispered, extending her hand to help her hop off the seat, her light feet making little to no noise.

Turning to the murmuring and growing crowd, Eve tried to listen to the discussion, wanting to know if some sort of plan was being fabricated, one that wouldn’t involve delaying the inevitable. Voices resonated from the front, ones she thought sounded familiar but couldn’t quite place them and she stepped closer to hear when Charlotte shook her arm.

Looking down, a pair of worrisome dark brown sad eyes stared back at Eve.

“I’m scared,” Charlotte whispered. “If they open the door…”

“Hey, it’s alright,” Eve reassured, kneeling to look up at Charlotte, still holding her hand. “I’ll protect you. No matter what happens. Okay?”

Charlotte swallowed hard, taking in the older girl’s promise and then nodded. “Okay.”

Eve returned a warm smile, looking into the young girl’s brown eyes and oddly, she felt everything was going to be okay.

“Bellamy?” a soft female voice resonated not too far from where they were, causing the whole room to fill with murmurs and mumbles

Eve eyes widened to the size of the moon at the name and then her stomach felt like it had dropped to the floor hearing the sound of the familiar croaky voice that responded and suddenly, that reassuring feeling that everything was going to be okay came crumbling down like a house of cards.

“My god, look how big you are,” Bellamy replied.

_What the hell is he doing here?_

The weight of the world has suddenly came crashing down onto her shoulders, rendering her body paralyzed. The center of her chest twisted into a hurricane of nausea and panic and she felt that a black hole would open up at any moment and swallow her whole.

“What is it?” Charlotte whispered, noticing Eve’s grave expression, the color flushing from her face as if she had seen a ghost.

Eve swallowed hard, trying to rid the knot caught in her throat. “Nothing,” she breathed even though her mind raced with panicked thoughts. “Thought I heard something.”

The last thing she wanted was to cause any concern and so Eve shoved the worry to the back of her mind, returning her focus to what was happening right now but Charlotte continued staring with a concerned look, her brows remaining pooled at the center, still uncertain about the older girl.

“It’s nothing,” Eve reassured, forcing a tight smile. “Now, come on. We need to get closer.”

Standing, she took a deep breath and shrugged the paranoia off, deciding to deal with this new problem at a later time. If there was a later. Pulling the dark hood over her head and Charlotte behind her, she led them into the crowd, passing along the the far left wall of the room, making minimal contact with people’s shoulders before coming to a stop just behind the first row of people facing the door.

Looking between their shoulders, Eve spotted the handle that would open the door to the outside and possibly kill everyone in the room, and near it was the Blake siblings clinging to each other in a full embrace, their faces buried into each other’s shoulders. The room remained dead silent as everyone watched a family reunite, a heart-warming display in a reality of dismay and Eve couldn’t help but smile, feeling happy for them

They had been been separated a year ago when their mother was floated and life hadn't become any easier on either of them as Octavia Blake was sent to prison at fifteen years old while her older brother, Bellamy Blake was discharged from the Cadet program to work as a janitor - neither allowed to see each other until Octavia’s trial at the age of eighteen. But instead, she was sent to the ground which would explain what he was doing on the ship. He came for his little sister.

_Of course. Why else?_

After a few moments, the siblings separated to share an intimate glance before Octavia roughly grabbed Bellamy’s jacket. “What the hell are you wearing? A guard’s uniform?”

“I borrowed it to get on the drop ship,” he reassured, mirroring her look of displeasure and then smirked. “Someone has got to keep an eye on you.”

As they hugged again, a young girl in the front row with blond hair in a loose bun, whom Eve recognized as Dr. Abigail Griffin’s daughter, Clarke Griffin, interrupted the moment to interrogate Bellamy; pointing out his missing wristband. Octavia spun around with daggers in her eyes, causing Eve to turn away, hiding in the cover of her hood to avoid Octavia’s gaze from possibly looking past Griffin and meeting hers. The two taller boys in front provided enough cover but she didn’t want to risk making eye contact with either sibling, knowing it wouldn’t take much to recognize who she was since she took part in what had had happened to them.

Eve listened to Octavia reprimand Clarke for interrupting their moment, only to have the others in the room shout insensitivities about her history of living under the floorboards for most of her young life. For almost two decades, her brother Bellamy and mother hid Octavia under the floor of their unit, never allowing her to leave their home or speak to anyone besides them and it seemed that the poor girl had been locked up in some way or another her whole life. But she didn’t have much of a choice and neither did her mother, contrary to what some might believe.

Under the Ark’s one child law, bearing a second child was illegal and punishable by death and so any illegal conceptions were terminated before birth but Aurora Blake was amongst the few that not only believed it was wrong but refused to give up their child even under the threat of weekly inspections and the possibility of execution. Aurora hid her daughter for sixteen years,without incident and it made Eve wonder what it could have taken to keep her family safe under such scrutinizing odds.

“Octavia, Octavia, no.” Bellamy restrained his sister from lunging at someone. “Let’s give them something else to remember you by.”

Examining the hair braids lined over the sides of Charlotte’s head that met together into a short tail, Eve continued listening, feeling nervous when Bellamy offered Octavia to be the first person to step on the ground in a hundred years and walked over to the handle.

“Get ready,” she whispered, squeezing Charlotte’s hand and upon hearing the handle being pulled down, Eve’s sapphire gaze shot up to watch the ramp quickly lower, allowing the beaming light from outside to slowly enter the small room while the decompression steam on either side of the door sprayed into it.

The light was blinding but no one flinched or looked away, wanting to face whatever came next. Once everyone’s pupils adjusted to the newfound brightness, there was a unified feeling of astonishment as everyone stood in awe, Octavia taking the first few steps towards the edge of the opening.

“What does it look like?” Charlotte whispered.

From where Eve stood, fixated, all she could see was green, so much green with different shades of dark and light painted on the trees while the scent of thick humid air filled her nostrils. It was a sweet, fresh smell like nothing she had ever, or anyone, had encountered in a hundred years. It was magnificent and the words to describe it to Charlotte eluded her dumbfounded mind.

“It’s beautiful.” Eve said in awe, knowing it didn’t come close to helping Charlotte understand. Finally blinking after what seemed for minutes, she ripped her gaze from the sight and crouched low enough to be level with Charlotte’s waist and then smiled excitedly. “Get on.”

A wide, excited grin spread across Charlotte’s features and proceeded to climb onto the tall girl’s back, her arms securely wrapping over her shoulders as she was lifted so the light from outside glowed over her pretty face. Eve couldn’t see her reaction but she knew the little girl was staring wide eyed and mouth open at the scene before them.

“We’re back bitches!” Octavia shouted after taking the final steps off the ramp, followed by the cheers and howls of the delinquents.

Without warning, they all rushed out, eager to discover their new home and the freedom that came with it.

“Hold on!” Eve called out, holding Charlotte’s legs along her waist.

Keeping her head down, she ran out with the rest of the group following their lead as they spilled out of the ship before scattering into different directions. Stepping off the ramp, she turned left and stopped at a large, green shrub a few feet away from the ship. Letting Charlotte slide off, Eve looked around to examine the large open area, delinquents running and jumping around the forest that had clearly not been touched in a hundred years.

The landscape was completely covered in thick, bright green grass. It trailed over the ground and along the trees that were also engulfed by thick, furry vines that hung over the branches and curtained to the ground, blending back into the grass - which grew wildly and tall, almost reaching Eve’s chest. She wanted to reach out and touch it, wondering if it felt anything like the Eden tree on the Ark.

Vera, Kane’s mother, had let her touch the tiny leaves of the bonsai tree a free times when she was younger even though it was frowned upon, some believing it could harm the plant but Vera allowed it, most likely in the hopes Eve would join the church and tend to the tree as Kane had. Sometimes she did but Eve was always too busy training and working to be involved and in truth, she had no interest in it, feeling that her time could be put to better use elsewhere. Or at least, that’s what Kane would constantly tell her.

The thought made her frown and she decided against touching the nearby grass or anything for that matter until she knew it wasn’t lethal. Tilting her head upwards, she sniffed the air, taking in its thick, mildewy scent and hoped that its otherwise clean impression wasn’t concealing a deadly undertone of radiation.

Up ahead, the air became denser within the forest surrounding the ship, becoming a thick layer of fog the further it trailed out into the unknown terrain until nothing was visible beyond a few meters. But that didn’t stop the delinquents from running wildly into it.

Sighing, she shook her head, still examining the surrounding area. It truly was magnificent and Eve was for the first time, in a long time… excited - specifically excited of what the future would hold for the Ark. Everything was going to change and everything Vera had talked about all those years was no longer a century old fantasy, no longer were they words of longing or waiting. It was finally coming into play and Eve was now more determined than ever to save the Ark and bring everyone down to Earth. To their new home.

Looking off into the distance, she spotted Clarke’s golden bob of hair, bouncing behind her as she treaded off into the field. Eve reminded Charlotte to stay close before proceeding to catch up with the young Griffin to begin a plan. If anyone would be willing to help, it would be Dr. Griffin’s daughter and Jaha’s son, Wells, who she would find later and hopefully, not run into Bellamy Blake or his sister.

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	2. Ice Box

“At least they gave everyone jackets. It’s freezing down here,” Eve said, shivering as she stretched the ends of her sleeves over her hands. She looked at Charlotte with a discontented smirk, expecting her to agree but instead she gave her an amused smile and shook her head. “You don’t think so? Look, watch.” Eve exhaled a short breath that turned a brisk, foggy white before disappearing into the air. “It’s like being in a damn ice box.”

Charlotte giggled and shrugged. “Well, with space being like a hundred degrees below, I don’t think anything can get much colder.”

“Hm, I don’t know. I’ve got a couple of ex-boyfriends that would disagree with you on that.” She winked. Charlotte chuckled, trying her best to not make too much sound or draw attention to herself. Even through the shy demeanor, it was nice to see a genuine smile on the young girl, one that made her cheeks inflate and scrunch against her hazel-brown eyes, bringing a newfound look of joy. “You should smile more,” Eve chimed, sliding her cold, thin hands into the deep pockets of the dark jacket, watching as Charlotte lifted her legs high enough to step through the tall grass. “Really brings out the shine in your eyes.”

Charlotte didn't respond, only smiled for a moment more before a frown dragged at the corner of her lips, the gleam dwindling away.

“Hey, you alright?” the older girl asked.

“Yeah,” she replied in a low voice, avoiding eye contact. “It’s nothing.”

“Doesn't look like nothing.”

With head hung low and shoulders hunched over, she continued to stare at the ground, “It's just- ” Charlotte paused and took a deep breath, looking out into the distance with eyes welled with tears. “My mother used to say something like that.”

“Oh. I’m sorry, Charlotte.”

“No, It’s okay.” She shook her head, wiping the water from her eyes with the sleeve of her jacket. “It’s not your fault.”

Sighing, Eve’s jaw tightened as she watched Charlotte regain her composure, wiping her face over her jacket and sniffing the tears away. She was trying to return those raw feelings of loss back into their hollow depths, the same ones Eve had felt for a long time after losing her parents to illness around the same age. She knew it wasn’t easy living with the unbearable ache it left behind - believing it would never go away and only continue growing until it destroyed everything in its path. She managed to put that pain behind her long ago but Charlotte’s was fresh, having had her loved ones taken from her only a few months ago. They were ripped from her life right in front of her as it had been done to many others, leaving her orphaned and broken, and Eve knew she felt robbed.

The knuckles in her hands became stiff and her teeth grinded against each other as something began to brew within her, threatening to rise to the surface and she dared to think she wouldn’t resist it.

But she did, as always, knowing it wouldn’t do her any good. It never did and it was the last thing Charlotte needed. Letting the anger submerge, Eve took a deep breath and met the young girl’s solemn gaze with one of her own. “I know it’s hard moving forward when you’ve lost everything and even harder when you’re on your own… but it doesn't have to be. If you need someone to talk to, I'm here for you. Okay? When you’re ready.”

Charlotte’s eyes began to well with tears again, her lips in a tight purse as she resisted the urge to cry. “Okay,” she choked, nodding her head in understanding.

Giving her a solemn half-smile, Eve wrapped her arm around the girl’s shoulders and rubbed her arm, hoping it would help sooth her down. Charlotte leaned into her side and sniffled a bit as they continued on their path, treading through the uneven terrain that sloped and dipped every so often,  the grass rustling against them.

Clarke remained ahead, still aimlessly finding her way through the field. Eve slowed her pace and scanned the area, her azure gaze obscured under the dark hood as she searched for anyone that looked over the age of seventeen, specifically with dark, slicked back hair and a guard’s uniform - or their younger sister who held an unrelenting look of detest. But the Blakes were nowhere to be found, the open green field filled with only the prisoners that had decided to not run off into the woods. She cupped her hands around her mouth to call out to the young Griffin.

“Boys are stupid,” Charlotte murmured.

Eve paused and looked over her shoulder. “What?” she asked, not sure if she had said something.

“Boys are stupid,” Charlotte repeated louder with a deadpan expression. “You’re one of the nicest people I’ve ever met and if your boyfriends didn’t think so, then they’re stupid.”

“Oh,” Eve responded with an amused smile, not having expected such a brash remark but appreciated the sentiment. “Well… yeah. Of course. Total boneheads. That’s why they’re _ex_ -boyfriends.”

Giving Charlotte a devilish grin that made her giggle, Eve turned away and planted her feet onto the dirt, cupping her hands around her mouth.

“Clarke!” she shouted, scanning the area to find that no one’s unduly attention had been drawn

Clarke had stopped in her tracks, the loose strands of her golden hair moving in the breeze as she turned around, searching for the source of the call before spotting the two girls, eyeing them both as they approached. “Yes?” she answered, a bit of suspicion in her voice.

“It’s Logan. Eve Logan,” she replied, pulling the hood back for a moment before returning it while Charlotte appeared a few seconds later at her side, curiously peering around at the others. “This is Charlotte. Charlotte this is Clarke.”

The girls gave each other an acknowledging smile before Clarke returned her attention to the hooded girl, her features crossed with confusion. “Why would they send _you_?”

Raising an eyebrow, Eve scoffed. “Well, if you prefer someone else… ”

“No, I mean, when my mom said they’d send someone to help us, I didn’t expect they’d send an officer of the Guard. That’s insane.”

Eve glanced down at Charlotte, wondering if she had heard that small bit of information but the girl was more preoccupied with watching the nearby explorers, who were picking up small objects off the floor, than listening to the conversation. “Things’ve changed since we last met.”

“You mean when you arrested my father?” Clarke asked, her gaze darkening and lips pursing with discontent. “Or when you arrested _me_?”

Eve frowned, keeping her voice low as she leaned closer, “I was following orders. If it hadn’t been me, it would’ve just been someone else. You know that.”

There was a thick silence between them as Clarke continued to glower, her scrutinizing gaze scanning Eve’s olive complexion for any reason to continue the conversation. A year ago, her father, the Ark’s senior engineer and deputy recourse officer, had discovered a fault within the oxygen generators and when he planned on informing the population, he was convicted of treason and floated. Not long after, Clarke was sent to the Skybox - solitary prison - to keep her quiet about the truth and when Jaha had sent Eve to arrest them, she hadn’t know any of it at the time and was only told they were conspiring to endanger the Ark’s safety - which was good enough for her. She should have questioned it. She should have questioned a lot of things.

After a moment, Clarke exhaled a breath, her expression and shoulders relaxing. “I know.” she admitted. “I’m glad you’re here. Really. We’re gonna need all the help we can get.”

“I’m here for anything you and Wells need,” Eve assured, relieved that Clarke wasn’t going to hold her responsible for her father’s execution. If she was anybody else, she would have.

Clarke’s good nature quickly disappeared, her arms folding across her chest and brow furrowing in disagreement. “And what about everyone else?”

Eve frowned. _Of course._ What else would be expected of a doctor’s daughter other than the need to take care of others first? All one-hundred of them.

Sighing, Eve peered over at the open field, an unimpressed feeling washing over her as she watched a group of teenagers roll in the dirt while others ran maniacally through the trees touching everything in sight, not caring if it could be harmful. “Look, check this out!” one shouted, having found new colorful discoveries growing on a certain patch of dirt while another ran across the field to show them something that strongly resembled a mushroom.

 _Please don’t eat it_.

All she could see was a field of overzealous children and a clear lack of self-control and authority. It made her cringe and she hoped the Ark would land soon, having no interest in being a babysitter to ninety-eight other teenagers. God help her.

Shuddering at the thought, she turned back to Clarke. “Let’s just start with you and Wells. If you want to help them, that’s up to you but don’t expect them to cooperate.”

Clarke pursed her lips at the comment and looked to examine some nearby groups, watching them with scrutinizing blue eyes and after a few seconds, her serious scowl waned into one of worry and concern, the lines on her forehead beginning to crinkle. She could see now what Eve was talking about. It wasn’t going to be easy to convince everyone to work together to get to Mount Weather like the Chancellor instructed when all they wanted to do was to be free, to do what they were always told not to and they wouldn’t give that up so easily. Especially to anyone in connection with the council.

But the determination in Clarke’s eyes hadn’t faltered, a strategy already forming behind their deep blue orbs, ready to take control and leadership if need be. An attribute surely learned from her parents who were both well-respected doctors in their own fields on the Ark. She was strong like her mother and smart like her father, and Eve was no stranger to it, having seen her in action when she worked in the Ark’s clinic, helping her mother tend to the sick. They had met met on few occasions when Eve was a regular patient during her earlier years of training, much to Dr. Griffin’s dismay.  
  
But something was different about Clarke. She no longer beamed with wonder or merriment like the girl in the clinic, her features held a darkened mood and the natural smile from before had flattened to a tight line. Clarke had changed.  
  
_Must have been Solitary,_ Eve thought as she began to ponder on the young girl’s state of mind, wondering if the year of solitary prison had altered her perception on people - on the Ark. Did she secretly hate the Ark now? Was she holding a year-old grudge on those that sentenced her father to death and locked her away? Was she that different from everyone else on the drop ship?  
  
_Can she be trusted?_

“They need guidance,” Clarke affirmed, her serious gaze still fixed on the others, “bringing back the supplies from Mount Weather will show them that working together is the best option right now until the Ark comes.” She nodded, satisfied with the idea and turned to Eve who still remained uncertain but returned a nod nonetheless, mentally agreeing to the fact that Clarke’s idea was the best option right now.

“One thing, though,” Eve said, checking on Charlotte who was now looking up at both older girls, her attention fully drawn. It wasn’t that Eve didn’t trust her but the less people that knew who she was the was, the easier it would be to keep things quiet and under control. “No one really calls me Eve. It’s _Marie_.” She emphasized.

Clarke’s light blonde eyebrows pooled at the center, unsure of the odd statement, knowing no one ever called her Marie, at least not by anyone that she had met or seen. She motioned to say something when her gaze flicked down to Charlotte, staying on her for a moment before slowly trailing across the field and it dawned on her what she meant. It was a code name.

“Alright, _Marie_ ,” Clarke said, unsure of why she needed an alias but thought it best to follow along. “What’s the plan, then? How do we get to Mount Weather?”

Giving Clarke a thankful look, Eve turned away to scan the area, not liking how close they were to listening ears no matter how preoccupied the prisoners seemed. Seeing a hill a few meters away surrounded by tall trees and large shrubbery, Eve nodded over to it. “Follow me,” she ordered and proceeded towards the hill.

Following suit, Clarke walked alongside Charlotte who remained glued to Eve’s hip and tugged nervously at the end of her dark green sleeve. She observed the young girl, watching as her brown gaze admired the older kids that ran amuck, and wondered how someone so young ended up in prison.

“How do you like the ground so far, Charlotte?” Clarke said catching the girl’s attention, her head snapping upwards, seemingly have forgotten someone was there.

“It’s beautiful,” she replied.

“It sure is.” Clarke forced a tight smile and then turned away, placing her hands in her pockets, staring at the hill with a worried look, wondering what kinds of dangers a beautiful place such as this could be hiding.

The hill was not as steep as it had looked from afar and once reaching the top, the girls paused for a moment to admire the view that overlooked the grand valley, the fresh air wafting against their faces and into the loose strands of their hair.

As the girls continued to stare, Eve proceeded to pull a map from her back pocket and unfold it before handing it to Clark, who managed to rip her gaze from the sight. “This is where we are,” - she pointed at a spot before sliding her finger multiple inches to the right - “this is Mount Weather,” and then pointed to a large peak sitting in the distance across the valley. “Where we’re supposed to be.”

Clarke examined the map, her gaze glancing between the paper and the mountain before sighing, dropping her arms. “They dropped us on the wrong damn mountain.”

“Why so serious, princess?”

The girls looked over their shoulders to find Finn Collins strolling up the hill, his black mane flowing in the wind as he found a spot next to Clark, giving them a recognizing smile before staring out towards the mountain. Eve slowly returned her hand to the side, having raised it to reach for the handgun resting against her ribs.

“It’s not like we died in a fiery explosion,” Finn continued.

“Try telling that to the two guys who tried to follow you out of their seats.” Clarke pursed her lips, returning her attention to the map.

“What?” Eve barked, turning to Finn with daggers in her eyes. “We lost two people?”

He didn’t respond, his downcast eyes answering for him as he stared at the ground, clearly guilt-ridden but she didn’t care. Not only was he responsible for costing the Ark three months of oxygen but he had also gotten two people killed on the first day because of his stupid antics. If it wasn’t for Charlotte standing next to her, nothing would have stopped Eve from lunging at the ridiculous kid and proceed in caving in his face for his carelessness and stupidity.

“Unbelievable,” Eve spat, shaking her head as she turned away.

Finn frowned. “I didn't mean for anyone to get hurt.”

“Don’t say another word,” She warned. “I told you to remain in your seat. Now two people are dead. How many more need to die because of you, Collins?”

“‘How many more?’” he asked with a confused look. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“It _means_ ,” she growled, balling her hands into fists and shifting her stance to face him, ignoring Clarke’s disapproving stare, “that if you put another person's life in danger again, I will ring… your fucking… neck.”

“Okay, stop! This doesn’t help anybody,” Clarke exclaimed,  extending her arm to keep Eve from getting any closer to Finn as he stood frozen with a shocked and confused stare. “We just to need to move on from this… and learn from our mistakes.” She looked at Finn, making it clear that last part was for him and then turned back to the fuming woman. “Okay?”

The young blond stared at her with raised eyebrows, waiting for a response but Eve remained unmoved, still wanting to tie him to a tree for the rest of his days but would settle for threats if only to remain practical.

But Clarke was right. Fighting wouldn’t help their situation or the deaths of those boys so instead of pummeling Collins, Eve made a mental note to deal with him later and do more than make threats the next time he put someone’s life in danger. That was a promise.

Folding her arms across her chest, she nodded, informing Clarke she was cooling off before turning away to examine the large mountain in the distance. It was a faded shade of blue from where she stood, almost melding with the sky while a dense mist drifted along its base and in between the other equally sized mountains mounded before it. They sloped across the valley in massive waves covered in a blanket of trees and grass, their relentless overgrowth enveloping everything in its path and Eve couldn’t help but feel a bit daunted by the display, knowing the journey to Mount Weather wouldn’t be quick.

“Looks like a twenty-mile hike,” she said with a raised eyebrow.

“I know,” Clarke said with disappointment, staring at the valley. “But if we leave now, we can get there before sundown and be back tomorrow. I just need to map out a course.”

“Alright, sounds like plan. Let’s regroup in ten.” Eve spun on her heel and began to leave.

“Wait, where are you going?”

“The Ark needs to know the ground is safe. I’m going to check on the comm system. With any luck, they weren’t fried on the way down.”

“Good idea,” Clarke nodded in affirmation. “I’ll meet you at the dropship.”

Clarke didn't look much like her mother but the blue-eyed girl definitely was Dr. Abby Griffin’s daughter because just like the great doctor she was ready and willing to take charge and get the job done without a second thought.

Confident in her ability to map a path to Mount Weather, Eve left her to it, ignoring Collins, and proceeded to the drop ship, Charlotte following not too far behind.

As she made her way to the dropship, Eve listened and watched for any sign of the dark-haired siblings, hoping they weren’t lollygagging around in the metal vessel. Upon arriving to it, she slowed her pace, taking small steps towards the ramp, listening for any voices inside.

“Why do you hate him?” Charlotte asked.

Holding the side of the hood over her face, Eve looked over her shoulder. “Hate who?” she whispered, gesturing Charlotte to come closer.

“That boy. On the hill,” she replied, skipping over to the older girl’s side. “The one you said you’d ring his fu-”

“Hey!” Eve stopped, turning to the young girl with a warning look. “Don’t even think about it,“ she chided, making Charlotte swallow those last words. After glaring at her for a moment, Eve turned away and stepped onto the ramp, remaining cautious. “And I don’t hate him. He’s just a punk.”

“Then why’d you threaten him?” Her voice echoed in the room as Eve checked the perimeter. Certain that no one was inside, Eve turned and faced Charlotte, who stared with curious eyes, waiting for an answer that she didn’t want to give.

“Because I lost my cool,” she sighed, hanging her head. “I shouldn’t have done that and I'm sorry you had to see it. “

“But you wanted to hurt him, right?”

Eve frowned, wishing she had been more careful around Charlotte. “No.., ” she answered, looking at the ground as she ran her tongue over her teeth, knowing that response wasn’t fully true. “And yes.”

Charlotte thought about her words for a moment before taking a step closer. “Would you have? If Clarke hadn't stopped you?”

“No, of course not.” Eve shook her head, unsure if that answer was true either.

“But he deserved it…for getting those people killed.”

“Deserved?” Eve raised her head with an arched eyebrow, both confused and surprised by the coldness of her statement. “If he did, I wasn't the one to decide... Charlotte, where is this coming from?”

“Nevermind.” She retreated, breaking eye contact.

“Hey. Hey, you can talk to me, remember?” Charlotte swallowed hard, her sad eyes staring back as Eve knelt at her feet. “What’s going on?”

She opened her mouth to respond when a loud clatter echoed from the levels above. Looking over her shoulder, Eve eyed the open hatch atop of the ladder.

“Someone’s up there,” Charlotte whispered.

With light and slow steps, Eve stood and walked towards the ladder, listening for any resonance that there could be more than one person. The low thumps and shuffling appeared at a time and in the same area while the rest of the ship remained quiet indicating the presence of one person, most likely a male she figured from the weighty sound of their footsteps.

“Wait outside, Charlotte,” she said, gesturing towards the door.

“Don’t go,” Charlotte pleaded.

“It’s alright. I’m gonna check if they need help ” she said, giving her a reassuring smile. After a moment of hesitation, Charlotte nodded with a frown before walking away to leave, her head hung low.

Sighing, Eve looked up at the ladder that lead to the top floor where the communication links and monitors were located. A heavy feeling grew in the pit of her stomach as she ascended the ladder, not comfortable with the idea of Charlotte being alone but bringing the girl along would have been worse at the risk of a confrontation waiting on the third floor, one she didn’t want her to be a part of or see. The best she could do was ask Charlotte to wait outside where others could see her if something happened and where Clarke would show up soon.

As she grew closer to the second open hatch, the clatter had gone quiet along with the stranger’s footsteps, making her think that she may have been heard climbing up. With quiet steps and slow movements she reached the end of the ladder, her breathing even and hands relaxed as she unholstered her gun and brought it forth before peeking over the edge, her deep blue eyes spotting the person across the room.

They stood still, their hands placed firmly on the table as they remained hunched over the monitors, head hung low and clearly frustrated with whatever it was they were trying to do. With a brief scan of the room, she spotted no one else and seeing that everything was still in place rather than scavenged, the only person to have been on the third floor was the tall fellow in front of her wearing a red bomber jacket sewn from the finer threads of polyester offered on the Ark. A material she knew only a few people could afford to wear.

Holstering her weapon, she pulled herself up through the hatch opening. “Any luck?”

The young man almost jumped out of his skin at the unexpected voice, his face pale as a ghost as he spun around, “Oh my god, you scared the hell out of me,” he breathed out with a hand over his chest to keep his heart from bursting through.

“You look like you’re going to throw up, Wells,” she teased, walking past the dark-skinned boy and towards the consoles. “Not a good idea. You’re gonna need that boost of protein on our way to Mount Weather.”

Regaining his composure, he gave her an unamused look. “You mean the scraps they gave us in prison?”

“Hey, getting arrested was your idea.”

Wells frowned, watching Eve trail around the console table and kneel behind it to examine the circuitry. “I had to. For Clarke.”

Eve remained quiet, shuffling through the motherboards and cables, her sapphire eyes glancing up from behind the table with a impassive stare before returning to her task, leaving Wells to his own thoughts.

He sighed. “You think I’m an idiot, don’t you?”

“Not really in any position to judge. Being in the same boat and all,” she replied, tossing a burnt motherboard over her shoulder before leaning into the console to examine a group of wires. “But it would’ve been nice to have one less person to watch over.”

“I know my father sent you to protect me but I can take care of myself,” he assured, his prickly voice bouncing against the walls in the hollow room.

“Never said you couldn't.” She tried not to sound annoyed at how foolish he was beginning to act at the moment. Maybe it was the hard landing or the abundance of oxygen in the air that made him tense and edgy, or maybe even that he was the Chancellor’s son and the majority of the hundred would enjoy seeing him suffer for his father’s actions. In any case, he needed to pull his head out of his ass. She stood, rubbing the grime from her hands over her trousers. “And your father didn’t send me to protect you. He sent me to help which includes watching your back. Or is that not okay with you?”

Wells frowned, realizing that he was displacing his frustration on what was mostly likely his only friend on the ground. He sighed and gave Eve a solemn nod. “I didn’t mean to be a jerk. I just… I wish things were different between me and Clarke. I wish she didn’t hate me.”

“She wouldn’t if you told her the truth.”

“No, I can’t.” Wells shook his head. “I can’t do that to her.”

Eve folded her arms over chest, looking at the young man as he turned way, conflicted with wanting his best friend back and to also protect her from a painful truth, knowing that he couldn’t do both. It was killing him inside like it had for the past year and even more so now that he had risked his life coming to the ground for Clarke, only to have her not care and still resent him. It was a harsh reality to live in but knowing Wells, he would live in that reality for as long as he needed to if it meant keeping Clarke or anyone he cared about out of harm’s way.

“Good,” she said. “Don’t tell her. Not yet.”

“Why?”

“Clarke needs to focus on what's happening here. Not on her mother who’s a billion miles away… and on the Ark, might I add.”

“Clarke would never turn against the Ark.” He said with a tone of certainty.

“Right. Just like she’d never believe you’d turn in her father.” Wells’s gaze slowly dropped and she felt a wave of guilt wash over her, realizing she had said too much. Maybe the abundance of oxygen was getting to her, too. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”

“No, you’re right. It’s best that she doesn’t know the truth. At least not now.” Wells looked back at her for a moment and then at the communication frame. “Nothing then?” Wells asked, changing the subject as he gestured to it.

“So far.” Eve looked at the mess of wires with an irritated glare, remembering why she hated dealing with anything electrical. “We need an engineer.”

“Anyone like that is back on the Ark.”

“Not necessarily,” she drawled as she stared off across the room, the images of everyone’s files flipping through her mind like a stack of unveiling cards before stopping at the one she needed. “Monty Green.”

“Monty Green?” Wells raised an eyebrow. “Who’s that?”

“The solution to our problem.” Her absent gaze trailed to him, a smile spreading across her face. “Well, that’s if he hasn’t already found something to get high off of.”

“Right,” Wells said slowly, not sure that a pothead would know very much about computers. “I'll go find him. What’s he look like?”

“He's your height with black hair and brown eyes. His family originally came from Shenzhen.”

“Okay,” he nodded, thinking for a moment before piecing an image in his mind. “I'll find him.”

Wells spun on his heel and descended down the hatch. Eve watched as he disappeared, admiring his eagerness to do something helpful and always wanting to do the right thing. Clarke was smart in many ways but a fool to believe that Wells had anything to do with her father’s execution. He was a good friend - loyal than most - and if it's wasn't for his reluctance to do anything against his beliefs, he would’ve made a fine guardsman.

Even though the systems were destroyed, Eve spent a few more minutes looking through the wires and cases for anything that could be useful in the future. She didn’t find much to her dismay besides long wires, sharp broken pieces of metal and busted pipes that she hid away in a corner to keep out of unwanted hands. She was rolling a long wire together when voices could be heard disputing outside the ship. She ignored it, not wanting to get involved with any quarrels between the prisoners but then Wells’s voice resonated from downstairs, asking someone to relax.

Sighing, Eve hastily stored the wire away into her pocket and rushed to the lower level, wishing Jaha junior had stayed home.

* * *

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	3. Incite

**Hi, everyone. Just wanted to give a shout out to those that clicked the follow button and the ones that took the extra time to review. I really appreciate it. It lets me know my writing doesn't totally suck.** ****  
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Rushing down the hatch, Eve gripped the cold, metal bars, placing her boots on either side of the ladder and allowed gravity to take its course as she slid her way to the bottom level, the grime recollecting on the palm of her hands. With only less than an hour on the ground, it had become clear that cleanliness was going to be a laborious ambition and all those limited showers on the Ark, she had truly taken for granted.

Arriving to the lowest level in a matter of seconds, the sound of her shoes made a light thud against the hardened floor as she stopped and turned towards the bright opening, not at all enthused to see a group of delinquents standing outside in front of Clarke and Wells.

“We’re just trying to figure out where we are,” Wells assured.

Eve immediately recognized the pale, flat-faced seventeen-year-old that Wells was speaking to. It was John Murphy, the son of Alexander and Linda Murphy, both of whom died after his father was arrested for stealing medication for their ill son. After he was floated, Murphy’s mother drank herself to death, and it didn't take long for Murphy to do as everyone else did and place the blame on the guard that arrested his father, setting their quarters on fire. He almost killed the guard, almost killed a person for doing their job and for what? For something as empty as revenge? For something that would never bring his parents back? No, he did it for himself, for his own pain. Damn everyone else. Murphy was reckless and selfish, and it made him a murderous vengeful prick - someone she knew to watch carefully and right now he was a little too close to Wells.

She didn't think twice to rush across the room towards the growing tension, knowing her place was to be in front of Clarke and Wells to deflect anything Murphy might decide to throw their way. It was her job. Her duty.

But the thought of getting her ass handed to her on the first day by seven underaged men was disconcerting, an unsavory notion to say the least. It wasn't that she was afraid. She had never been afraid to take a beating but their rather copious group consisted of the stronger and older boys of the hundred, and if she did find herself in a brawl, she was also sure to find herself with severe bruises, maybe a few broken bones, and with the possibility of being killed by one that might get too carried away.  Her death wouldn't be good news or useful to the Ark.

Logically, they wouldn’t all fight her at once. At least a few would hesitate to participate in a physical confrontation with a girl in lest they disappoint their mothers, and as long as Eve could keep her back close to the ship’s exterior, she would be able to fend off the rest with timely strikes and evasions. It wouldn’t be easy, not by a long shot. She would have to take out their knees first to slow them down, kicking in the joints at an angle - hard enough to make it hurt for a few days but not enough to cause a fracture or tear. And if one of them managed to stumble into her grasp, she'd find herself with a human shield.

Nearly arriving to the door, she realized the audience scattered outside, their gazes fixed on Murphy, his group, Clarke and Wells before switching to an area to the right.

“We’re on the ground. That not good enough for you?” Bellamy spoke.

The thick rubber of her boots screeched against the metal floor as she managed to halt at the doorway, almost stumbling forward and out into the open for everyone to see. Grabbing the side of the doorway, she flung herself around, her back colliding against the left wall. Biting her lip, she held back a wince as a protrusion jammed into her shoulder blade. It hurt but it was worth avoiding Murphy’s peering gaze as he turned his head, looking for the source of the low thud.

He stared curiously, eyes squinted and brows furrowed, examining the empty space within the ship. Eve remained still, her breathing even as she listened for any indication he was in a exploring mood. After a moment, Wells and Clarke began to walk away, disappearing from her sight, and his attention went with them, now drawn to their exchange with Bellamy.

“We need to find Mount Weather. You heard my father’s message. That has to be our first priority,” Wells said.

“Screw your father.” Octavia’s voice appeared. “What? You think you’re in charge here? You, and your little princess?”

The crowd remained quiet, unwilling to offer a different opinion.

Clarke stepped in, the tone in her voice making it clear she was telling, not asking. “Do you think we care who’s in charge? We need to get to Mount Weather,” she reiterated. “Not because the Chancellor said so, but because the longer we wait, the hungrier we’ll get and the harder this’ll be. How long do you think we’ll last without those supplies? We’re looking at a twenty-mile trek, okay? So if we want to get there before dark, we need to leave now.”

Letting out a low groan, Eve stepped away from the wall to roll her shoulder, soothing the ache in her back. Looking back, the object was a bursted pipe sticking out from the lining of the wall, it's round edge a preferable sight than a sharp one that would have surely impaled her. Shaking her head with annoyance, she continued listening and as expected, the delinquents refused to agree, remaining silent again until Bellamy suggested Clarke and Wells bring the food themselves and they all roared in agreement.

A bitter start to a new settlement.

Clarke expected rationale to win the crowd, that they would hear the logic in her words and put aside all those nights spent in prison, eating the less than adequate scraps being passed off as meals. and being barked at by those that put them there. They were fed up and nothing Clarke could say would steer them because she still didn’t understand - or didn’t want to understand how much everyone despised the Ark… and in their eyes, she was the Ark.

Eve sighed. Soothing her hands over her head, she pulled back the loose strands of her hair, holding them in place as she brought the hood over her head, and then stuffed the rest of her dark hair within it. With a frown, annoyed about the ache in her shoulder, and crabbed at the fact she needed to hide like _she_ was the criminal, Eve tugged the hood further over her face and turned the corner, stepping out into the open. A few turned to look at her but most remained attentively fixed on the discussion at hand. She kept her steps light, casually and calmly walking off the ramp to make her way past the shrubbery to find a place a few meters behind Murphy’s group.

Giving the nearby area a brief scan, Charlotte’s blond braids and oversized green jacket were nowhere to be found within the dispersed crowd and Eve became worried, wondering where she could have run off to and why in the world she would in the first place. She had asked her remain outside, not to disappear.

Lowering her head and folding her arms over her chest, Eve grumbled unhappily and glowered as Clarke and Wells continued their efforts - a waste of time and energy that could be used on their journey to the mountain.

In the open field and the sun’s natural light, she spotted Bellamy and Octavia standing across from them, both glaring with annoyance and resentment, their obstinance response to anything Clarke and Wells had to say already written across their faces.

Bellamy stood brawny and tall, taller than most, and if Eve didn’t know any better, she could still believe he was training to be a guardsman; a year of janitor work not impeding his physical stature in the slightest. The younger Blake, Octavia, hadn’t grown much physically but her demeanor had changed. She was no longer the timid and quiet mouse under the floorboards, her bright blue eyes locking on Clarke and Wells like a hawk as she challenged their perceived authority. Both stood strong and full of anger, the bag under their eyes evidence of the sleepless nights and constant worry they endured over the past year, unsure if they would ever see each other again. It brought a sense of relief to Eve knowing the torment was over and they were finally together… but nothing could make her forget the panic-stricken look on their faces when they pleaded for her help on the day everything changed.

Rolling his eyes, Murphy stepped forward to shove Wells, having grown tired of their yapping. “Look at this, everybody- the Chancellor of Earth,” he announced, making everyone laugh.

Wells regained his footing and turned around. “You think that’s funny?”

Murphy chuckled and kicked Wells’s ankle out from under him, shoving the young man to the ground where he landed with a loud thud.

“Wells!” Clarke shouted, lunging forward to his aid only to be restrained by Murphy’s goons. Unable to get loose, her head snapped in different directions to search urgently through the crowd before looking to the dropship. “Marie!” she shouted.

Eve remained still, hesitant about being exposed so soon just because Murphy wanted to put on a show. Clarke shouted for her again.

“Who you callin’?” Murphy taunted. “No one’s coming to save you. Not here.” He enjoyed watching her squirm, feeling the power it gave him knowing he was in control and could do anything he wanted because there was no one around to do anything about it, no one to stop him.

He was a bully and Eve hated bullies.

Running her tongue over her teeth and with eyes locked on Murphy, Eve stepped forward to stalk her way to the front, fists at her side and ready to execute her earlier thought of strategy when a hand landed on her shoulder.

Eve stopped and looked to her left. The hand belonged to a girl with emerald colored eyes and a large, poofy auburn braid that trailed over the center of her head and into a long tail. If it wasn’t for her thin eyebrows and the light rose color of her lips, she could pass off as a boy. Her name was Zoe Monroe - incarcerated for assaulting multiple officers when they attempted to arrest her for trading contraband, presumably for Nygel, one of the Ark’s culinary techs and the unofficial black market dealer. Someone Eve loathed more than anyone.

It wasn’t enough that Nygel was a narcissistic extortionist, using blackmail to get what she needed, to make people do things they didn’t want to, including prostitution and murder… but she also had to be a backstabbing bitch, always willing to give up her own people and even her clients to get what she wanted. Kane warned her to stay away from Nygel more times than she cared to remember, fearing that Eve would end up hurt or even dead, but she always found herself butting heads with the snake and if it wasn’t for the untimely and suspicious disappearance of a willing informant from her inner circle, Eve would have watched Nygel float a long time ago. And maybe Monroe wouldn’t have gone to prison like so many others.

Monroe shook her head at Eve, jutting her chin towards the scene. Following the tan’s girl gaze, Eve watched as Wells returned to his feet, limping from the injured ankle before finding his balance.

“Alright.” Murphy said with a sneer.

Holding his fists before his face, the chancellor’s son prepared himself to fight while Murphy snickered, arrogantly taunting Wells with fake lunges and pranced around, provoking Wells to make the first move. He was having the time of his life, enjoying the howls and hollers from the crowd.

Instigators, the lot of them.

Just as quickly as it had begun, the exchange - or lack thereof, came to an abrupt end as Finn dropped in between the boys, having flung himself off an elevated surface attached to the ship. He landed with grace and resolve, everyone murmuring with awe while Murphy remained startled by how high Collins had fallen.

“Kids got one leg,” Finn said, shrugging over to Wells. “How about you wait until it’s a fair fight?”

Finn stared him down and Murphy shifted his feet, unsure if Wells was worth the confrontation with Collins, knowing it wouldn’t sit well with everyone else if he started fighting one of their own. He didn't need to think much longer as Octavia approached Collins with a coy remark, distracting everyone's attention and allowing Murphy to walk away, his posse following close behind.

Once the show ended, the audience began to scatter, their disappointed murmurs filling the air. Eve watched as Clarke approached Wells with one of her doctorly worried frowns and gestured him to sit down which he willingly obeyed. Bellamy and his sister were still lingering in the area, talking to each other about something that was clearly upsetting Octavia as she shrugged her arm from his grasp.

“Doesn’t take long for them to start measuring dicks, does it?” Monroe commented, her gaze following Murphy and his gang as they turned the corner and disappeared behind the ship.

Eve chuckled. “A whole hour, if you can believe it. I’m surprised someone actually did something about it.”

_Collins out of all people._

“Well, I was hopin’ they'd get in a few throws. My money was on the chancellor.” Eve looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “Well, if I had any.” Monroe shrugged.

“Is that why you stopped me? To get your ‘money’s’ worth?”

“Nah,” she drawled cheekily. “Just figured it'd be a shame to watch that pretty face get busted. You might need it later.”

Eve folded her arms across her chest. “Oh yeah? And why’s that?” she asked with a tone of curiosity, the crude implication all but eluding her.

“How many girls you see out here?” Monroe gestured towards the population. Eve glanced, knowing the men outnumbered the girls by five to one. “Yeah, the guys’ll be running this shit in no time… and they like pretty faces.”

Eve scoffed. “Know what else they like? Their balls remaining attached,“ she countered and turned away, shaking her head. “No one’s taking advantage of anyone. Not under my watch.”

Monroe raised her eyebrows. “If you say so, boss.”

Clarke was now tending to Wells’s ankle while the siblings had distanced themselves, standing further behind the ship. It was a small window for Eve to finally approach Clarke and Wells but she was still worried about Charlotte. Where the hell could she be? She didn't have the time or luxury to go searching for her. Not now.

Monroe followed Eve’s serious gaze, seeing the blond girl care for the Chancellor’s son, before looking back at the taller one, examining her for a moment. “You know..,” She continued. “If you're trying to hide that you're a guard, you’re not doing a good job at it.”

Eve’s eyes widened to the size of the moon, feeling her stomach drop. She slowly turned to face the rather brash,  green-eyed girl that had suddenly become a problem. “A guard?” she asked, attempting to sound incredulous. “ _Me_? That's crazy.”

“Right.” Monroe smiled, trying not to laugh. “And you suck at lying. You don't remember me, do you?”

Her mind rushed with memories and thoughts, trying to connect whatever dots Monroe was implying but she couldn’t and the only reasonable assumption was that Eve had been the one to arrest her.

Had she? She didn't remember doing it… and she remembered everyone she ever arrested.

“Nah,” Monroe answered her thoughts. “You wouldn’t. Too busy keeping everyone in check to remember the little girl stealing rations from a culinary station on MECCA.”

Like a light being switched on, the memory appeared as clear as day and suddenly, Eve did recognize the young girl, her deep green eyes belonging to a little girl she came across a few years ago when she was promoted to Major.

During a rather busy day at the distribution center, people were huddled around the provision pods, waiting to receive rations and Monroe had taken the liberty to use the crowd as cover to sneak into a pod and break into a food dispenser. She had the tools and the time, and if it hadn’t been for Eve’s idea to change the patrol routes, she would have ran off with a month’s worth of food. Eve arrested her, threatening to take her to the floating chamber and Monroe cried so much as she took her away that she hadn't realized she was being taken back to the housing units.

“You let me go,” Monroe added.

“I did,” Eve nodded slowly, remembering the shock on the little girl’s tear-stung face when she ordered her to go home. “I also told you to stay out of trouble.” She scowled.

Laughing, Monroe shrugged. “Can't help myself.” She turned away to leave before stopping and looking back, “Try not to stand around like you own the place. Really gives it away.”

Looking over at Clarke who was still knelt by Wells, Eve knew the window was closing. “Hey!” she said with a sigh. “I need a favor.”

Monroe eyes lit up as she happily trotted back. “What’s in it for me?” she asked, intrigued.

Eve snickered, beginning to understand how she had ended up in Nygel’s circle.“I’ll owe you one.”

The offer wasn’t as enticing as Monroe had expected, hoping that she would actually gain something from it, but after a moment of thinking, she nodded, feeling that a guard in her debt was good enough. “Alright, what’d ya need?”

“Simple, I need to find someone. And with my lack of stealth that you so eagerly pointed out, I could really use your help.”

Monroe slowly nodded, her gaze scanning the field. “Who is it? What’d they look like?”

“Her name’s Charlotte. Twelve years old. About this tall.” Eve held her hand to her chest. “Has blond hair with braids. If you see her and I’m not around, keep her out of trouble.”

“You trust _me_ to do that?”

“Can you do it or not?” Eve snapped, not wanting to waste anymore time.

“Yeah, jeez,” Monroe answered, holding her hands up in surrender. “I can do that.”

Eve extended her hand. “Thanks. I’m Marie, by the way.”

Monroe gave her hand a glance and then shook it. “Figured you were since you were going to beat the living shit out of Murphy.”

Eve smirked. **“** If only.”

Seeing Bellamy and Octavia still at a distance Eve kept her head low as she walked across the small field towards a dirt patch by the side of the dropship where Clarke and Wells had regrouped. Wells sat on the ground with one leg stretched while Clarke crouched over it, rolling his injured ankle to assess the damage.

Clarke greeted her with a scowl. “I called you. Twice! Where were you?”

Eve stopped near Wells, her back towards the Blakes who were talking to each other a few meters away.

“I had it under control,” Wells insisted, only to earn doubtful looks from both girls. “ I did,” He grumbled.

“I know. I’m sorry,” Eve responded to Clarke’s question in a low voice, ignoring Wells’s pouting as she glanced over her shoulder to make sure the siblings were still at a distance.

“What is it?” Clarke whispered, having noticed Eve’s cautious behavior.

Scanning the area, she wanted to be certain the nearest delinquents weren’t paying any mind to them. The only concern was a small group huddled in a circle a couple feet behind Clarke but they didn't seem too conscious of their surroundings.

Crouching next to Clarke, Eve gave Wells a quick glance before looking at Clarke with a wary expression. “We have a problem. The Blakes know who I am.”

Clarke looked over to the two for a moment before turning back.

“So?” Wells uttered.

Eve pursed her lips at the lack of perception since Wells, out of all people, should have understood why it was a problem since he was already being outcasted for being one of the privileged. What did he think would happen if they found a guard in their midst?

“So,” Eve continued, not hiding the annoyance in her tone. “If they share that information with the rest of the class, then I’m going to end up with more than just a sprained ankle. And I can’t do my job if I have to keep looking over shoulder every second for someone that wants payback.”

“But you're not a guard anymore.”

“They won't care,” Clarke interjected, her gaze dropping to Wells’s ankle, remembering how quickly the crowd had turned on them regardless of reason. Sighing, she nodded understandably. “Okay, we’ll avoid them for as long as we can until we find a way to contact the Ark and then-”

“So Mount Weather, when do we leave?” Finn interrupted as he appeared out of nowhere, his hands in the pockets of his green-blue aviator jacket.

Clarke looked back at Eve, silently promising to continue the conversation at a later time before standing. “Right now.” She answered and turned back to Wells. “We’ll be back tomorrow with food.”

Wells stared doubtfully. “How are the three of you gonna carry enough food for a hundred?”

Having came up with an idea, Finn stepped over to the small group nearby to grab two boys by the shoulder.

“I’ll stay with Wells,” Eve assured, only to earn a look of confusion from Clarke before Finn reappeared with the two young men under either shoulder. The boy to his right was a taller, scrawny fellow with brown short shaggy hair rumpled under the large black safety goggles over his forehead while the one to his left was a kid of the same height with black, better-kept shaggy hair and softer facial features, a piece of grass in his hand from presumably sniffing it. She recognized the first as Jasper Jordan and the second as… Monty Green.

“Five of us. Now can we go?” Finn asked impatiently.

“Wait,” Clarke answered, earning a frown from the three boys, and then turned back to the taller girl with a worried look. “We need you.” She whispered.

“Sounds like a party. Make that six.”

_Oh, fuck._

Eve turned away, holding her arm near her face for coverage as Octavia gleefully approached their newfound group followed by her protective older brother

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Bellamy demanded.

“Going for a walk.” Octavia responded contemptuously, shrugging his hand from her shoulder

As they proceeded to argue, Wells watched them closely before leaning towards Eve, his voice a subtle whisper. “You need to go with them.”

She shook her head, Clarke’s voice remaining loud in the background as she scolded Spacewalker for trying to remove his wristband, explaining how detrimental it was to keep it on. “You’re injured,” She whispered. “I won't leave you here alone while everyone is pining for your head.”

“I’ll be fine. I can take care of myself. You know that,” Wells insisted..

“Really? Because Murphy took you down pretty quick. Since when do you let people get in your space?”

Well sighed. “He caught me off guard.”

“You know better,” she chided. “I _taught_ you better.”

“I know,” he admitted with downcast eyes before looking up at her with pleading ones. “But can you please go with them. I don’t want to see her get hurt.”

“Okay. Now let’s go,” Clarke ordered the group, watching each of them begin treading off into the right direction before turning back to Eve. “Are you coming?”

Wells continued to stare, resembling a sad child as he silently pleaded her to go. He didn't know it but he was putting her in a difficult position. Her orders were to protect them both but if there was a choice, it would be the Chancellor’s son that would need to be placed above all… but against her better judgment, she sighed, unable to believe she was giving into puppy dog eyes.

“You better be in one piece when I get back,” she warned, pointing a finger at him.

“I promise.” He smiled.

Eve gave him one last annoyed look before standing and stepping over him. She would have helped him up but Bellamy was still close and she wanted to distance herself as quickly as possible. Walking off alongside Clarke, she could feel Bellamy’s gaze dig into her back as he watched his little sister walk off into the woods with five complete strangers.

Octavia remained a few feet behind the chatting boys, blissful and oblivious to everything around her while Clarke and Eve walked at a slow pace behind them. Waiting for a moment to be at a safe distance to talk, Eve whispered over to Clarke, “best way to do this is for both of us to be up front. Stay five meters behind me and keep the others on track. I'll clear the area as we go.”  
  
Clarke stared at the uncharted forest, watching the others as they sauntered into it without a care in the world. “Do you really think something could’ve survived the radiation after all this time?” she whispered back, brushing away the tall grass.   
  
“Maybe. Maybe not.” Eve shrugged. “Either way, it’s twenty miles into unknown terrain without food or water and with four other teenagers that haven’t seen the outside of a cell in a long time… So let’s just say I’m not in the mood for any surprises.”   
  
Clarke pursed her lips and nodded, understanding what Eve was implying: their group was inexperienced and unreliable. Picking up her pace, she headed to the front of the group, only to be slowed down by Octavia.

As the girls briefly spoke, Eve made her way past them and the boys to find a good distance in the lead, wanting to be the first to see or come across anything in their path. Feeling the weight of the handgun and the knife clanking subtly inside her boot, she was ready to make the journey to Mount Weather.


	4. The Woods

The forest was dense and overgrown; the thick, bright green moss and vines hung off every bark, causing the smaller trees to bend and slouch collectively against and around each other. It coated the ground and everything as far as the eye could see, making the place look like a green fuzzy wonderland. The overgrowth wasn’t enough to make the group’s walk a chore; in fact, most of them were enjoying the stroll as Jasper and Monty stared wide-eyed at every new area and detail, taking in the forest’s glory and incredibility. They collected plants here and there to shove away into their pockets and giggled, whispering mischievous suggestions to one another of using the plants to create herbal concoctions and Eve could only hope it included medicinal uses.

The thick air held a chill, keeping them cool and relaxed; Eve having had hardly broken a sweat, but its humidity collected between the trees, developing a grey screen of fog that she struggled to see through. She would narrow her eyes, overstraining the muscles ever so often until she settled with what could be seen within twenty meters and with whatever she could hear. The lack of visibility became less of a concern as time went on, the only sounds and movements resonating in the area were the heavy, imbalance footsteps of the group along with their chatter and chuckles.

She didn't mind them talking; in fact, she welcomed it. The noise of their trivial conversations carried off into the trees and filled the ambient void in the forest. Every now and then, the thick leaves would shiver against the breeze and the sun’s glow shimmered with them and that's all it was for hours: peaceful and uneventful. But she still didn't trust it, unable to shake the uncanny feeling building in the pit of her stomach. It was as if the forest was watching, looking down at them with observant eyes from its towers of bark as the group merrily strolled through its woods, progressing farther from the ship every minute. It made her skin crawl.

Traversing down a small hill towards a plateau, she reverted to simpler, less eerie thoughts and began to wonder what would happen once the food was returned to the ship. How would it be rationed? Who would be in charge of managing the distribution? What would be her role in assisting Clarke and Wells secure their hold on it if she couldn’t show face. Assuming she wouldn’t be discovered before their return. Since the departure from the landing sight, Octavia had remained disinterested in anything that didn’t involve Finn or the other boys, her inattentive behavior shielded Eve from recognition but how long would be it until that luck ran out?

More importantly, what would happen when it did? Did she really think Octavia would do something malicious? Octavia was angry but it hardly made her a bad person.

Arriving to an area where purple flowers grew modestly on dirt patches and moss covered rocks, the sound of the groups chatter grew farther behind her and their footsteps slowed. Eve stopped near a tree to glance across the clearing, scrutinizing every tree bark, hill, and boulder for anything out of the place or any swift movement in the fog. Nothing, as always. She looked over her shoulder to find Finn placing one of the purple flowers in Octavia’s hair, making the young girl smile girlishly - relishing in finally obtaining the boy’s affection

No, Octavia was not a bad person.  Not by a long shot. She was only young and petulant; something Eve was used to dealing with whenever a fresh batch of cadets entered initial training. Every five years, ten young men and women were recruited into the Guard and every two years, she would watch them break down, emotionally and physically until their egotism and impudence became nothing more than an evanescent part of their old selves. The restructure wouldn’t take long - two weeks tops, but Octavia wasn’t a cadet and she wouldn’t bend to Eve’s will under any circumstances if her brother had anything to say about it.

_Keyword: If._

Her brother wasn’t here to have anything to say about it, not while he was miles away doing God-knows-what which made this the perfect opportunity to figure out Octavia; and to hopefully convince her to not screw Eve over.

Carefully stepping over the large roots protruding in waves on the ground, Clarke stopped to notice they were no longer moving.

“They’re lagging behind,” Eve answered Clarke’s look of inquiry and jutted her chin towards the group.

Furrowing her brow, Clarke turned around and a frown pulled at her lips. Sighing, she stomped over to them and proceeded to remind them to keep up.

Eve turned away, folding her arms across her chest as she leaned against the large tree that secreted a musty scent of dampness and dirt. She waited, inspecting the area beyond the clearing to watch the dense fog begin to gradually disappear into a lining of thin trees and out into a bleak, barren field.

“Come on, Clarke. How do you block all this out?” Finn asked aloud.

“Well, it’s simple,” Clarke answered with a trail of irritation, “Why haven’t we seen any animals? Maybe it’s because there are none. Maybe we’ve already been exposed to enough radiation to kill us.” The group remained quiet as their gleeful attitudes slowly dissipated at the sad reality. “Sure is pretty though. Come on.” She ordered and spun on her heel, her golden sheet of hair flinging in the air.

Clarke continued her march forward trampling over the purple flowers until she slowed, realizing Eve was smirking at her.

“What?” she asked with a quizzical smile.

“Nothing.” Eve shrugged. “Just remind me of your mother is all. Never scared to say it like it is.”

Clarke smiled, her hands tucked securely around the straps of her backpack as they continued walking, “If my mother _were_ here, everyone at the ship would’ve listened.”

“Probably.” Clarke’s head turned sharply, defeat washing over her expression. “But your mother isn’t here. _You_ are.” Eve asserted, meeting her sad gaze with one of sternness, “And those kids don’t know it yet but at some point they’ll be looking to someone for answers, for direction… and there's no one better here to fit the bill than you and Wells.”

Clarke’s attention suddenly molded into anger, her jaw tightened and eyes narrowed. “Not Wells,” she huffed with a shake of her blond head. “He doesn’t think about anyone but himself.”

Eve frowned and Clarke looked away to the ground, her lips pursed tightly as she tried to conceal her seething contempt at the mention of his name, at the idea of being compared to someone as treacherous as he.

“You can’t hate him forever. Eventually, you guys will need to talk about it.”

“There’s nothing to talk about. My father was executed because of him. He was supposed to be my friend. I _can_ hate him forever.” With a harsh tug at the straps of her backpack, Clarke finalized the statement.

Eve shook her head. “He got himself locked up and sent down here so you wouldn’t be alone.”

“I _never_ asked him to do that.”

“Exactly. He did it because he cares about you.”

“Then why did he betray me?” Clarke demanded, turning to Eve with fiery eyes. The others were still too busy chatting and joking to notice the change in atmosphere but it hadn’t eluded Finn’s acuity and with a quick remark about some nearby colorful plants, he adroitly steered them away to give the girls a moment.

Watching them stroll away, Eve sighed, realizing she had placed herself in a awkward position - one she had no business being in. It was Wells’s decision to tell Clarke. Plain and simple.

“I don’t know.” Eve shrugged reluctantly.

Clarke pulled back, her gaze trailing away with disappointment. She was displeased with the response, as though she had hoped there would be an actual answer to a question she pondered every lonely night in the Skybox.

Pursing her lips, Eve stared out into the forest with a thoughtful gaze, the notion of revealing the truth to her father’s execution crossed her mind but it's conviction weakened as she knew it wouldn't bring peace to her or anyone else; it would only bring more pain. Clarke didn't need the truth. After all, it was only facts. She needed more, something real and ernest. She needed to move on.

Clarke motioned to speak. “Listen, this place,” Eve interjected, nodding to the forest, “is a second chance. A second chance for those who aren’t proud of the things they’ve done. It doesn’t make those things right or disappear… but we all need to heal, Clarke. Otherwise, we’re just living in the same shit as before.”

They stared at each other for a moment. Clarke pondered her words, her blue eyes gazing thoughtfully off to the side. Slowly and steadily the anger began to unveil from her fair complexion; the crease between her brows alleviated and her glance softened into one of thought and understanding.

“You’re right,” she said softly, slowly nodding and looked back at Eve.  “We have to be better than the Ark and the only way to do that is to keep moving forward. To leave all the shit behind.”

An irrepressible smile spread across Eve’s lips, noticing the familiar look of determination twinkling in Clarke’s eyes again, and any lingering doubt she had about Clarke’s intentions or motives being anything other than helping the Ark had utterly disappeared.

“We have to be better than the Ark,” Eve said, her voice clear and serious. “No matter what.”

With a small nod that Clarke returned, a reverent silent and mutual agreement settled between them.

“No matter what,” Clarke vowed.

They continued on through the thin trees following a dirt path that caught Eve’s attention. It didn’t match the rest of the land; its flat and linear direction cut through the trees and the grass no longer grew to its full extent like it had been scathe repeatedly.

Eve stopped, the color flushing from her face. “This is a game trail… ”

She was sharply hushed. Peeling her eyes from the ground, she looked up to see Clarke crouched a couple of feet away, holding a finger against her lips and grinning with excitement. Clarke shifted away to face the small field stretched before her and pointed to a creature feeding off the dry, short grass.

Eve slowly moved, steps light and cautious until she stood alongside the crouched girl, the creature now in full view as it lingered a few meters away. She stared at it, perplexed… and petrified.

“It's a deer,” Clarke whispered excitedly.

“And it's alive… “

“This is good news.” Clarke boasted. “This means the radiation won’t kill us. The Ark can survive.”

As Clarke whispered over to the group and gestured them to hurry, Eve continued watching the thin four legged creature continue nibbling on the grass, seemingly non-threatening and gentle, it's pointed ears twitching in alternating directions. Clarke was right. It was good news for the Ark. Not only could vegetation survive but mammals as well, meaning the hundred wouldn't die horribly from radiation as feared and the council could begin planning their voyage to the ground once she figured how to communicate with them.

But Eve couldn't shake the nauseating feeling in her gut, her senses heightening at every sound, wondering what else could have survived.

Octavia appeared and knelt next to Clarke, her dazzling green eyes staring in wonder. Clarke held a finger against her lips as Finn knelt between her and Octavia while the other boys kneeled quietly behind them. She pointed over to the gentle creature. The deer took a step forward having found a new patch of grass while it's fluffy short tail swung behind it.

_Food._

The very thought of it made Eve’s stomach grumble and she almost felt bad for wanting the endearing creature for dinner. She didn’t see any other kind of animal around and the group would be hungry soon. This was the first, if not only, opportunity to eat before reaching Mount Weather.

“No animals, huh?” Finn remarked with a open smile before stalking forward to take a closer look A twig snapped beneath his foot, the sound traveling in the rustling ambience and across the field, causing the animal to flinch upright and look towards the group, revealing the horror of its face. The deer had two heads, the second growing out of it's left side while pink flesh lined it's grotesque separation. Once it spotted them, it dashed away into the forest, leaving the group in shock and disgust.

Frozen in place with her mouth partially open, Eve blinked, squeezing her eyelids shut for a second longer in the hopes it would wash away the disturbing image from her mind; but it remained and suddenly, she wasn’t very hungry anymore.

_Great. Mutated animals for dinner. How appetizing._

The group remained still for a long time. Longer than comfortably permissible in their current schedule. Eve cleared her throat and clapped her hands loudly to send a jolt up the group’s back and out of their shock. Their heads snapped towards her.

“Let's keep moving,” she whispered, her unsettled expression hidden behind the hood. Turning way, she continued walking, the dry hay crunching under her feet in the silence.

After a moment, the others slowly lumbered off the ground and proceeded to follow, some looking back as if the deer would return capering through the field to bring more horrors.

Again, they continued on the path but in an uncomfortable silence for some time, clearly still affected by earlier events but Eve didn't mind, actually enjoying the momentary bliss of having them follow without distraction.

“Alright,” she said aloud, stopping at a plateau of rich grass; its sweet, dewy scent filling the air as it stretched a few hundred meters into the distance until it trailed back into the woods. She looked up, her eyes squinting under the sun’s beaming light. “This is a good spot.”

“Finally,” Jasper exhaled tiredly. “I need a break.” He moved ponderously around the broken trunk of a fallen tree and plopped himself down, his arms wrapped loosely around his knees as he brought them towards his chest. Clarke walked past him, retrieving a bundle of sticks from her bag. Jasper furrowed his brows. “Isn’t it kinda early for a fire?”

“It’s not for fire,” Finn replied. He stood next to Jasper, half-sitting on the end of their newfound bench, both watching Clarke as she jabbed one of the longer sticks into the ground and then hit the end with a rock to secure it into the ground. “It’s to make sure we’re going the right way.”

“This line,” Clarke directed to everyone, glancing at Jasper, and pointed to the shadow created by the erected stick, “is west” -she moved to the end of the shadow and then jabbed a smaller stick into the endpoint- “the shadow will move and show us east. We have to go north-east.”

“Maybe you should’ve paid more attention in Earth Skills,” Monty said as he sat next to Jasper with raised eyebrows.

“Look who's talking!” Jasper exclaimed, playfully shoving his friend. “You’d sleep through the entire class.”

“That’s because I already knew what they were talking about.” Monty reciprocated the push with one of his own and sent Jasper flailing around to keep himself from falling off the dead trunk, making everyone laugh.

The goggled boy managed to regain his balance and placed his feet on the ground to be in a more sitting position. “Well, not everyone can be from farm station, _Monty_ ,” Jasper said bitterly.

The friends proceeded to bicker like an old married couple; arguing about the technicalities of their conversation and the fact that one didn't need to be from farm station to learn Earth Skills until Jasper’s gaze trailed over to Octavia.

“Shh. Shh.” He patted Monty’s shoulder with the back of his hand, telling him to be quiet, and nodded subtly to the young girl as she walked around the trunk to Monty’s side.

“So now what?” she asked with a bored tone, brushing her long dark hair over her shoulder as she sat, crossing a leg over the other. Jasper and Monty stared, mesmerized.

“Now we wait,” Clarke replied, letting out a breath as she look down at the pillar of sticks, pleased with the setup.

“What is that?” Finn asked.

Clarke looked to her left to find Monty holding a dark brown ball between his fingers, having barely retrieved it from his pocket. He paused, realizing everyone was now staring at him.

“Blue Camas,” he replied simply, holding it out to show them.

Everyone gave him blank stares and as he proceeded to explain the edible brown flower bulb, Clarke smiled amusedly, wondering if Monty also knew that Blue Camas caused excessive flatulence. Retrieving the map from her back pocket, she unfolded it and trailed off to the right.

“If this is the right direction, it should be a few more miles and then we’ll be at Mount Weather,” Clarke informed, her head buried in the map as she appeared next to Eve who was staring off into the forest, the opening of her hood flapping in the breeze.

“How many more?”

“Seven, give or take a few. It's hard to tell on this map considering I had to make a scale for it on the way here.”

“I didn't know you could that.” Eve looked at her with amazement. “That's great, Clarke.”

Clarke smiled humbly and then returned her attention to the map.

Peeking over, Eve could see the marks and lines etched on different sections of the large map, most of them cluttered around the landing sight. Clarke had written data numbers and calculations on the sides and at the bottom was a centered line drawn across with measuring points in what looked like units of meters.

Eve couldn't help but smirk.

The blonde girl’s tenacity was becoming more apparent throughout the day. Not only had she managed to endure the tedious task of pace counting through the incessant amount of slopes and fog, surely having to repeat the set more than once, but she managed to obtain an approximate, if not accurate, scale of map to ground distance. An impressive feat.

“I requested a military version.” Eve said, looking away to the forest again. “One with contours but that’s all they would give me And I practically had to beg for it.”

“Figures.” Clarke shrugged, unsurprised.

A gust of wind sent a chill up Eve’s back as it blew past them and sent every dead leaf on the ground tumbling toward the forest as if it were trying to suck everything into it like the waves of a hide tide sea. The trees began to extend, growing taller and thicker while the forest floor stretched father into the distance, meters becoming kilometers with no end in sight; the opaque fog filling every space and crevasse.

Eve shut her eyes and took a deep breath, soothing away the tunnel vision. She had tried to move past the unsettled feeling gnawing at her nerves - to focus on the mission at hand, but the feeling was in her gut and one thing she trusted more than anything was her gut.

“We should go back,” she finally said opening her eyes to see the bright green forest had returned to  normal.

Clarke’s blond head popped up. “Go back?” she asked, bewildered. “Why?”

Eve unfolded her arms and turned to her, shooting a glance past her shoulder to see the others chatting while Finn kept his eyes on Clarke and her, surely wondering what they were talking about. She looked at Clarke. “It’s not safe to be out here on our own anymore. We’ll recruit more people and return tomorrow. ”

Clarke furrowed her brow, the map crunching against her thighs as she dropped her arms, unable to believe what she was hearing. “Recruit more people? No one was willing to help us.”

“By the end of today, they’ll be too hungry to say no.”

Clarke let out a frustrated sigh, looking around for a moment before shaking her head. “I don't understand. We’ve come so far. Why wouldn't it be-” she paused, remembering what had changed and then slowly nodded. “The deer.”

Eve leaned in, keeping her voice low. “A hundred years ago this place was home to some of the most dangerous predators. Hundreds of them. And if a deer survived, then they did, too.”

Clarke frowned. It was true. According to the Ark’s wildlife archives, the area harbored a high count of apex predators and what they had learned in their teachings was to avoid them as much as possible or become part of the food chain. She gazed across the forest, a sense of defeat washing over her, if even for a moment.

“We can't.” She shook her head, looking down to carefully fold the map. “They’re counting on us to get those supplies. We can’t go back now.”

Eve scowled. “No, Clarke. This is dangerous. These kids are untrained and unarmed.”

“But you aren’t,” she said softly with benevolent eyes that Eve didn’t appreciate. “I know you can protect us.”

“Against a bear? A wolf?” Eve asked incredulously. “I don’t think so.”

Clarke pursed her lips and tilted her head. “I know you have a gun. Kane wouldn’t have sent you without one.”

An exasperated sigh escaped Eve lips and she felt she would strangle the blonde for being so stubborn. She took a deep breath, her jaw clenched as she spoke, “Clarke, we are _leaving_.”

Taking the map into one hand, Clarke shifted her feet to face the taller girl, staring up at her with defiant eyes and refusing to break eye contact. “You’re not in charge anymore. This isn’t your decision.”

They stared each other down. Neither willing to surrender.

“We’ve got east!” Jasper chimed.

Running her tongue over her teeth, Eve contemplated her next move, wondering what it would take to get her to listen, to get _them_ to listen. She couldn't force them. Could she? Maybe she could threaten them - brandish her gun around like a maniac and bark orders til kingdom come. Make a few enemies. Why not?

_No, not practical. Get your head on straight. Eve._

But then again, like Clarke had said, this wasn't her decision - wasn’t her problem. Not really.

“The hell it isn’t,” Eve blurted, mostly to herself. She pulled the hood from her face, feeling the cold wind waft against her exposed cheeks and neck as she swiftly brushed past Dr. Griffin’s daughter.

“What’re you doing?” Clarke demanded, following her.

Ignoring her and any other reason to stop, Eve quickly approached the group. “Listen up!” She called loudly, catching everyone’s attention. “We are going back to the ship.”

A unison sense of confusion overtake the group as Finn furrowed his brows, asking why as he pushed himself off the improvised bench while Jasper and Monty looked at each other. Octavia remained unmoved, her emerald eyes fixated on the older girl.

“No, we aren’t,” Clarke opposed, placing the folded map into her back pocket.

Eve looked at her with gritted teeth. “I _will not_ put this group in danger.”

“What?” Jasper’s question was echoed by Monty, both having sprung up from their seats with concerned looks.

“What is she talking about, Clarke?” Finn asked, shooting the dark-haired girl a suspicious look.

Clarke remained silent with apprehension, glancing at each member of the group as they waited for an answer. Finally, she sighed. “There could be more animals in the area… dangerous ones.”

“Like what?” Jasper blurted.

“Bears ” Monty murmured, shrinking into himself.

Jasper looked at him and then at the group with a raised eyebrow. “Can’t we just, like, avoid them? I mean, they’re more scared of us than we are of them, right?” He looked back at Monty who shook his head slowly.

“Not when they’re hunting you,” Finn replied, folding his arms across his chest as he stared at the ground in deep thought.

“Bears will attack if they’re hungry,” Eve informed, glancing at Octavia who continued staring with calm and observant eyes, seemingly unperturbed by the sudden revelation. Eve wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing. “And considering humans haven’t been around in a hundred years, I doubt they’ll be intimidated. Wolves hunt in packs and cougars attack from behind.”

“Damn,” Jasper said sadly. “There goes the neighborhood.”

“It’s true,” Clarke announced. “The longer we stay out here, the greater the risk we’ll run into something. But everyone is depending on us to get those supplies. Mount Weather is less than ten miles away and so far the only thing to cross our path is a deer.”

“With two heads,” Monty added.

Clarke frowned, seeing the concern on their faces. “Look, no one is forcing you to do anything. If you guys want to go back, we can. It’s your choice.”

The group stood in solemn silence. The trees and bushes rustled in the wind as they contemplated what they wanted to do. Should they go back with nothing or risk being mauled for a food supply that could feed everyone?

Finally, Finn stepped away towards the forest they had just traveled through, everyone watching as he did, and Clarke slowly nodded, her eyes lowering. He stopped and began to scour the floor; his dark hair draped over his face to conceal the look of concentration in his brown eyes as they meticulously searched the ground for whatever it was he was looking for. Everyone watched with puzzlement.

Having picked up a stick that measure up to his shoulder, he began to collect more, placing each on under his arm until there were six and then strided back to the group.

“There haven’t been any animal tracks other than the deer’s,” he said, handing Clarke a stick.

She mindlessly accepted it, her eyes remaining on Finn as he dropped the sticks into a pile. “You can track?” Clarke asked, amazed.

Finn gave her a small smile before standing next to her, turning to the others. “If we run into something, we’ll be ready,” he announced, jabbing the bottom his stick onto the ground. “I’m gonna keep going. What about you guys?”

Monty and Jasper traded glances.

“Well, if a bear _does_ decide he wants human for dinner, all I have to worry about is outrunning you,” Jasper said to Monty and stepped forward to grab a stick before finding a place next to Finn.

“Thanks,” Monty said sarcastically. Taking a deep breath, he shook his head and proceeded to arm himself as well.

Standing all together, the staff-wielding warriors looked at Octavia as she remained sitting on the dead trunk, her green-eyes meeting their gazes. She glanced at the last two sticks and then at Eve with an impassivable expression. Pushing herself off, she wiped her hands together, dusting off the wooden debris as she ambled over to the small pile. Looking down, she bent forward and picked them both up.

Holding one in each hand, Octavia looked at Eve and approached her. With a sense of foreboding she remained still as Octavia stopped in front of her and looked her in the eyes, the green intensity of her orbs piercing into Eve’s blue ones.  

Extending her left arm, Octavia simply offered the stick. “Let’s go,” She said and flicked her head to the side towards their destination.

Eve accepted it reluctantly, holding it to the side as Octavia walked away, the others following behind in a file line.

All except Clarke who turned to Eve with a soft expression. “I’d feel a lot better if you came.” She said.

 _Oh, please_. Eve scoffed lightly and tilted her head, giving Clarke a doubtful look. “Yes, because I’m just going to leave you out here with this.” She presented the mottled stick, its dry bark and dirt flaking into the air. Spurning it back into the forest, she wiped her hand onto the side of her pants before leaning to the side to unsheath the knife from her boot. “Gimme that,” she grumbled, taking Clarke’s stick away and stomped off to continue on their original path.

Clarke spun around to see Eve begin to exert her frustration onto the stick as she vigorously shaved the end into a point, letting little pieces of wood fling every which way. She smiled and proceeded to catch up, feeling good that everything was going well again.

After an hour or so, Jasper and Monty began to lighten the mood, telling jokes and stories about their adventures of ingesting and inhaling too many herbs. The goggled boy made it his mission to make conversation with Octavia, asking questions about her interests and preferences, only to gradually realize that a person that had spent their whole life hiding didn't have many to share. Either that or she was too busy digging a hole into Eve’s back as she continued to stare at her, curious and suspicious. She wanted to talk, just not to him. Eventually, the topic had transitioned to something more important: the reason why the prisoners were sent to the ground.

Eve continued clearing the area, listening for any other freakishly looking animals as well as their conversation about the Ark. They listened intently as Clarke explained the Ark’s dire situation, earning questions from Finn about her father and his execution.

She came to a halt, having reached a bank of large boulders lining a wide and placid river. She didn’t remember there being a body of water in their path on the map.

“They’re gonna kill more people, aren't they?” Monty asked solemnly.

Having heard Monty, she looked over her shoulder to see Clarke’s grave expression, knowing full well the answer would be yes if they didn't convince the Ark otherwise.

Taking a deep breath, Eve looked at her wrist; the green lights were still brightly lit and there was no sign of malfunction. She was still alive.

Looking up at the bristled canopy, the rays of light pierced through the cracks and over her face as she imagined Kane in the control room, obsessing over the monitors,  scrutinizing every detail and possibility that the mission had or could fail - all while maintaining his usual reticent demeanor. She half-smiled, knowing at least it would bring some comfort to him that she hadn’t died so far.

“Good. After what they did to me, I say, float them all,” Octavia said with detest, using her stick as a cane as she sauntered past the group. She gave Eve a look, as if she were going to say something. But she didn't. Instead, she made her way to the river bank where her eyes lit up like the sun.

“You don't mean that.” Jasper trailed behind her before stopping shoulder-to-shoulder to Eve as Octavia began to strip to her dark red camisole and black underwear.

“Clarke,” Eve drew out her name through clenched teeth, irritated at what Octavia was about to do.

Clarke collided into Eve as she was stepping back. She spun around with an inquiring expression and then her jaw dropped.

“Oh, damn. I love Earth,” Jasper sighed and then howled over to Octavia as stepped onto a boulder, a devilish smile plastered across her face.

“Octavia, what the hell are you doing?” Clarke exclaimed.

Octavia smiled defiantly and leapt forward, her legs swinging in the air as she disappeared below and behind the rocks

“Octavia!” Eve shouted and sprinted to the bank, beginning to panic that the young girl may have hit a rock or could possibly start drowning. Why did she let her do that? More importantly, how would she save her if Eve didn't know how to swim? What would happen if Bellamy discovered she died under her supervision? His wrath would know no bounds.

She climbed up the boulders and upon reaching the edge, she stopped and bent over, huffing for air. The others approached a few seconds later to find Octavia peeking out from under the shimmering green water.

“Octavia… I can't swim,” Jasper stated what everyone was thinking as they smiled and stared in awe.

“I know but we can stand,” she smiled suggestively, standing to reveal that the river was only waist deep.

“Wait, there's not supposed to be a river,” Clarke frowned, looking over at Eve.

Nearly having a heart attack, Eve managed to regain her composure, clearing her throat as she brushed the loose strands of hair away from her face and simply shrugged, not knowing what to tell her. Ninety-seven years was a long time. Long enough for the landmarks to change.

“Well, there is. So take your damn clothes off!” Finn ordered excitedly before proceeding to remove his shoes.

“Clarke,” Eve warned, catching her attention, already seeing she was contemplating Finn’s order. “We don’t have time for this.”

“We’ve been walking for hours, Clarke. We deserve a break,” he countered, giving Clarke a suggestive grin.

With a stern look, Eve shook her head but it was no use. After a brief moment of contemplation, Clarke smiled with glee and began to remove her shoes. Eve rolled her eyes and looked over the river as the other boys followed suit, Jasper eyeing Octavia as she played in the water.

“Come on. Have some fun for once.” Finn smirked at Eve.

“I’m good here,” she muttered, not caring for wet undergarments or wet hair. The humidity was causing enough frizz damage as it was.

Listening to them wrestle their clothes off, Eve continued with her observations, examining the area on the other side of the river that looked more of the same. She wondered how long it would take for them play in the water. Thirty minutes? An hour? Would she really have to wait-

“Octavia, get out of the water!” Jasper shouted.

Everyone’s heads turned towards Octavia’s direction. She slowly turned around, seeing the water rise into a bubble as something rapidly swam below the surface, quickly approaching in her direction. The young girl remained wide-eyed and frozen in place.

“Now! Get out now!” Eve shouted, leaping to the lower rock to reach out to the young girl, only to watch her be yanked underneath the water by a dark-scaled, lengthy creature and dragged further into the river.

“Octavia!” Jasper shouted helplessly as the water quickly came to a still and the beautiful brunette disappeared. “No…”

“Shit! Where is she?” Eve demanded, frantically moving about, searching the green river for anything resembling a dark silhouette. “Does anyone see her?”

No one answered. Eve turned to Clarke, seeing her frozen, mouth gaped in shock and arm buried inside her backpack, unable to formulate a response or an idea. Eve looked at the others seeing they were all in just as much shock.

Suddenly, Octavia appeared in the middle of the river, screaming and flailing her arms, gasping for air as the creature continued to drag her across the water, it's long, reptilian body trailing behind.

“What the hell is that?” Monty asked, springing everyone out of their paralysis. They stepped onto the higher boulder, watching their friend plea for help. “We have to help her.”

The creature had swam past them and then continued away along the riverbank, taking Octavia to the deeper area of the river where she would surely drown.

“Jasper!” Eve called loudly, catching Jasper’s attention; his eyes wide and breathing heavy. ”On me! Come on!”

She leapt off the large rock and onto the river bank, the small rocks crunching beneath her boots before sprinting along the shore. Jasper shortly followed suit.

“How are we going to save her?” He shouted as the two nearly caught up to the creature, his eyes fixed on the panicked young girl in the water, not noticing Eve had ripped off her jacket off and threw it to the side. She unsheath the large knife from her right boot. The reptile suddenly released Octavia, leaving her to flounder in the deep water as it swam back to the boulder. Eve mentally thanked whoever managed to distract it, not having looked forward to wrestling a gigantic snake or whatever it was.

Reaching the end of the shore where the younger Blake was splashing and gurgling water, Eve dropped her knife on the rocks, before jumping into the freezing water that made the showers in the Ark seem like a hot tub.

“I’ve got you!” She told Octavia as the girl frantically splashed around. “Grab onto me!”

Feeling someone grab her, Octavia urgently wrapped her arms around Eve’s shoulders, gasping for air once her head was above level while Eve struggled to not drown. They were farther from the shore than anticipated and the nearest surface was gradually slipping from her fingers. She struggled to pull them towards the shore, kicking against the void to maneuver them nearer, swallowing water as they bobbed in and out.

“Its coming back! It's headed right for you guys!” Clarke shouted from afar.

Eve looked over, seeing the reptile’s dark silhouette dart back towards its meal.

“I’ve got her!” Jasper knelt over the edge and reached for Octavia. He glanced over at the snake that was now a few meters away. “It's coming!”

Eve grabbed Jasper’s hand, pulling herself forward, close enough for him to grab onto the young girl and pull her back to safety, revealing a large, bloody bite on her thigh. Jasper fell back onto the rock, his arms wrapped securely around Octavia as she coughed out water. He looked down to see Eve in the midst of pulling herself out.

They locked eyes.

And then she was yanked away, disappearing into the river.

Jasper’s heart pounded against his chest, almost threatening to burst out as he stared wide eyed at the empty shoreline.

Clarke appeared next to Octavia, kneeling near her injured leg and examined the wound.

“Okay,” she said and proceeded to tear off the hemline of Jasper’s shirt, the boy hardly noticing, and wrapped it around Octavia’s wound.

“Thank you, thank you,” Octavia exhaled, hugging Jasper.

“Where is she?” Finn asked, noticing the hooded girl was nowhere to be found.

Jasper swallowed. “It took her,” he replied solemnly.

A grave silence overtook the group.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!** ****  
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	5. Earth Skills

Seeing Jasper and Octavia lying safely away, Eve focused her energy on saving her own ass that was currently drowning. She scrambled to reach the slippery surface, her arm extending as far it could to grasp the edge but her hand clamped at nothing and the water began steadily pooling into her mouth. She swallowed it urgently in the hopes it would buy her some time before it trailed into the wrong pipe. She clawed at the water, kicking aimlessly to gain some momentum but it was no use. She grew tired and began to panic. Whatever rhythm she had or believed to had quickly disappeared and she could do nothing but feel the inside of her nose sting horribly as a film of dew rested on her tongue from the water passing into her airway. She coughed and gurgled, swallowing and spitting just to get some kind of relief.

Eve became conflicted. She wanted to call out to Jasper, call out in general for any kind of assistance but she knew the serpent had to be near and she couldn't - _wouldn’t_ endangering someone else’s life. Least of all for hers.

Is this really how she would die? Drowning in a river and/or be eaten by a monster on Earth? On Earth! The place she had dreamed of going since as long as she could remember. She hadn't even survived a day.

Kane would be so ashamed.

Like a godsend from heaven, the palm of her hand suddenly plopped onto the surface of the rock and having felt it's slippery coat under her fingers, she didn't hesitate to lunge forward with one strong kick to swing her other arm wildly over to grab ahold of the rock and desperately begin clawing out of the water. She strained to emerge, feeling heavier than ever and her muscles weak but she pushed through and found herself halfway out, leaning over the edge, taking deep and needy breaths. The cold air filled her lungs and Eve felt more appreciation for oxygen; an ironic feeling considering she was on Earth rather than a deprived spaceship. Tired and breathing heavily, she looked up to see Jasper staring at her with widened eyes and mouth agape as if he were wanting to stay something through his momentary shock. Octavia was still in his arms, hugging him with the utmost gratitude but it failed to aleve the fear in his stunned gaze. He didn't attempt to move and it was then Eve knew she was out of time. No time to get help. No time to pull herself out. It was just the creature and her now.

A white, frosty breath escaped between her teeth as she turned her head to catch sight of the only object with a means of defense, its carbon steel glistening in the light. She lunged forward, her fingers managing to reach the synthetic fiber before retrieving the knife for dear life. She held it close, enduring the fluttering in her chest and stomach and waited, anticipating for whatever was to come.

Afraid and suddenly breathless, she looked up once again to meet Jasper’s dark orbs for an offer of reassurance, maybe even some comfort, but there was none. He stared back frozen and if anything, an equally frightened expression, breath hitched in his throat.

And then their gazes disconnected within a flicker of a moment and she was yanked away to be welcomed once again by the freezing water as it relentlessly filled her sinuses.

Air bubbles escaped through her teeth as she gritted them in pain. Something like shards had torn into her right leg and they only burrowed deeper as she attempted to pull her leg away. Rushing through the current, the serpent continued onward and she thought giving it a hard kick but feared that amongst the struggle and jostling, the beast were settle with ripping off a mouthful of flesh and taking it home. Instead she struggled against the current and the pain in her sinuses to position herself to find the proper angle to strike. Once she managed to point the blade directly to the beast’s side, she thrusted it forward, feeling the steel find a spot of flesh in between the scaled exterior.

The serpent thrashed and jolted, it's teeth grinding inside her leg before it abruptly released her and swam off, injured but surely alive enough to fight another day.

Eve watched as it swam away into the green depths, its long, wide tail disappearing into the undergrowth while she slowly began to sink. With a half-hearted attempt she reached for the surface - only to feel the cold air brush through her fingers and then disappear.

So futile.

Swimming was out of the question as she clearly had no idea how to swim or float and the river floor was deeper than she could stand. Maybe if she managed to sink fast enough, she’d be able to push off the floor and rise to the surface to obtain some temporary air. But what then? What else could she do besides extend her slow and agonizing death.

She looked up at the wavy sheet of glass above, watching the fragments of light glisten and twinkle through and wondered what Marcus was doing now. Was he standing in the control room watching her vitals spaz out and feeling as helpless as she was? Most likely not. With the systems failing and worried parents demanding answers about their surreptitiously sacrificed children, Marcus had too much on his hands to be lollygagging around.

At least he wouldn’t have to watch her die.

She continued to sink slowly and effortlessly and she was ready to take it all in - to let it all go and surrender when a low rumble vibrated to her right. She turned her head, squinting her eyes to see what was happening and through the blur, she could see a pair of legs in dark trousers slowly stride through the swaying thick seaweed, their steps high and wide before the rest of them dove in, the water bursting around them.

It was Collins. With pursed lips and a dark mane of hair floating behind him, he extended his hand to glide through the water like a sword until the momentum of his dive reached its limit. His hand remained held out, his face strained with focus, not wanting to lose his small supply of air.

Eve gladly took his hand, their forearms latching onto one another and something dragged Collin’s back to the surface along with her.

“He’s got her!” Monty’s gleeful cheer ringed as she resurfaced and took a large gulp of air, suddenly coughing from accidentally inhaling some splashes of water. Monty stood behind Clarke as they both reeled in the long, green vine wrapped around Collins’s arm until they finally reached the shallow end.

Eve was such in a hurry to get out, to be away from the possibility that the serpent may return with vengeance that she had forgotten the sore in her leg. Collins was quick enough to catch her before she buckled forward.

“What is it?” he asked tiredly, droplets of water trailing along his glistening dark hair before falling back into the water. His chest rose and fell heavily as he took labored breaths, having expended much of his energy ‘swimming’ over to her. She looked back at him, taking in his soft features and for a moment, she understood the allure Octavia found him to have.

Her face scrunched in pain as she focused on shifting her weight onto her good leg. “It’s-”

“She's hurt!” Clarke shouted, hastily releasing the line. She spun around, walking past Monty before turning back to wave to them with urgency. “Get out of the water. Hurry!”

Finn looked away from Clarke and back to the injured woman. His lips pressed into a tight line as he swallowed, staring at her with apologetic eyes. Eve rolled hers with exasperation, her frustration not really directed to him but at the forthcoming pain.

“Let’s do it,” she whispered and with a swift swoop of her arm around his shoulders, Collins lifted her to stand, frowning at her groan of pain before they trudged out of the river towards an area that Clarke was clearing.

“Set her down here.” Clarke gestured to the ground, flinging a dead branch out of the way. Finn obliged and carefully lowered Eve and she repressed a hiss of pain as she sat down. The back of her pant leg was shredded and torn, allowing red, rich blood to leak through the gaps and Clarke wasted no time in ripping whatever was left of it in half to reveal large gashes in between her calf and ankle.

The group made a unison hiss of disgust.

_Thanks, guys._

“It’s not deep,” Clarke informed, her voice was steady as it always was in these kinds of situations but Eve still caught the tone of concern in her voice. “But it could get infected. We’ll need to make sure it stays clean. We need bandages.”

Eve immediately proceeded to tear the bottom section of her camisole, leaving her belly exposed, and offered the piece of cloth as a substitute. Clarke hadn’t hesitated to accept it and proceed to ring out the water before wrapping it tightly enough around the wound to the hold the bleeding. After a moment, Clarke sat back on her knees, examining her handy work before turning to the dark-haired girl. “Can you stand?” she asked.

In that second, Eve could see Dr. Griffin’s objective demeanor looking back at her, waiting for an answer that would determine if she could continue. And as always, Eve responded with whatever she needed to say to continue. “Yes.”

“Wait, not so fast,” objected Clarke but it fell on deaf ears as Eve pushed herself off the ground, ignoring the searing pain. “You’ll need to stay off it as much as possible and keep it elevated.”

“Look, I'm fine,” reassured Eve, her eyebrows raised at Clarke as the young blonde stared at her worriedly, not believing a word. She understood Clarke’s concern, knowing that caring for others was in her blood but there more important matters at hand than a little leg wound. “What we should be doing is getting off this bank.”

“Agreed,” Finn added, making everyone turn to look at him. He nodded to the forest, specifically a shaded area that had less vegetation but was still well surrounded by the trees. “We’ll set up camp there for the night.”

“Wait.” The group stopped just as they had began to move and turned to Eve, who was looking across the rocks, her eyes urgently scanning the area. “Has _anyone_ seen my jacket?”

“Oh,” said Monty with a shy smile. “Sorry.” He stepped forward, holding out the dark jacket to her and her eyes narrowed on him for a moment, wondering if he had questioned the weight of it and taken the liberty to find out why it was heavy. He continued to smile, his eyes flickering from the jacket and then back at her, unsure of why she was staring at him like that.

“Thanks,” she finally said and took it, his shoulders instantly relaxing now that she wasn't holding him hostage. Monty nodded courteously and then retreated to Jasper’s side. With Octavia holding onto him, Jasper helped her limp along towards the forest while Monty followed suit.

Watching them transverse across the rocky landscape, Eve bounced her wrist, weighing the jacket and was happy to find it didn't feel any less heavier than when she took it off. She slipped it on, pulling her drenched tail of hair out from under to let the water drip to the side. She grumbled inwardly as she felt her camisole begin to dampen her favorite jacket the murky water. Maybe she should have waited until she was dry enough to put it on but in this humidity, who knew how long that would take. Bending down to retrieve her knife, she watched as Finn approached her, his arms folded tightly across his chest.

“Where’d you get that?” he asked, watching her closely as she stowed the knife away back into her boot, patting the exterior to make sure it adjusted into the sleeve.

 _Such a curious cat_.

“It was a goodbye gift from a guard,” she replied calmly, sliding her hands into her pockets as she stood up straight.

Finn raised an eyebrow. “Why would a guard give you a weapon?”

She let out a breath and then pressed her lips together, pretending to be annoyed as if he had just asked a _very_ personal question. And in a way, he had, but she wasn’t about to tell him any truths just yet.

“Because I caught him cheating on me and he figured this would be a good apology,” she replied frankly. “Considering all his other ones meant shit to me.”

Collins’s expression froze and then his gaze dropped to the ground, seemingly embarrassed to have asked. “Oh.”

“Yup,” she added, watching with hidden amusement at his discomfort. Of course, none of it was true but nothing stopped people from asking questions quicker than awkward subjects.

“Then he really did care about you,” he said in a soft voice and then looked back at her with warm eyes and a sense that he knew what he was talking about. “He risked getting floated giving it to you.”

It was Eve’s turn to feel embarrassed as she shifted her feet uncomfortably, not knowing really what to say. Collins’s reaction was unexpected and quite frankly a surprise. After the stint he pulled on the Ark, she thought nothing more of him other than a selfish and thoughtless prick. But as he stood there with a small warm smile, telling her that someone (that didn't exist) did in fact love her…

Maybe she had him all wrong. After all, he did just save her knowing he could have been killed by the serpent _and_ he didn’t know how to swim.

“I guess he did,” she finally said and Collins smiled, making her guilt feel heavier in her chest.

“Well.” His expression returned to its usual softness as he looked over to where the others were beginning to settle in. “Good thing he did because we’ll need it to build shelter. It’s gonna get even colder as it gets closer to night.”

“Yeah, totally,” said Eve rather eagerly. It wasn’t not a word she would typically use but she felt more eager to help and to seem more friendly. “Anything you guys need.”

Collins smiled again and he parted his lips to say something when Clarke appeared next to Eve with a concerned expression. “Do you need help walking?” she asked, a tinge of impatience in her tone presumably from the fact they hadn’t moved from the spot

“Yeah. If you don’t mind,” accepted Eve and lifted her arm to allow Clarke to step underneath.

“I can help,” Collins interjected, taking a step forward. He smiled and gave Clarke a small nod as she looked at him waringly - reassuring her know that he was glad to be of service. The blonde nodded and stepped away, leaving Eve to observe Collins as his gaze didn’t detach from Clarke, a gleam in his eye and transfixed by the young girl as she walked away.

After a moment, he turned his attention back to Eve and paused at the quizzical expression on her face. “What?”

“Nothing,” she shrugged and immediately looked away, trying to hide her smirk as he continued to stare at her.

He stood there for a few seconds, narrowing his eyes at her and then finally rolled his eyes playfully. “Come on,” he said with a smirk, knowing that she had caught him staring at Clarke but chose not to give it any attention. He bent at the knee slightly and she happily accepted his assistance.

oOo

The group settled a few hundred meters within the woods but upon Collins’s suggestion that they move further away from the river to avoid animals, they settled a quarter mile in and began cutting down and collecting wood to build shelter. There was a small debate on what to build - Monty and Jasper wanting to build a Teepee to go on some spiritual journey with a handful herbs they found while Collins wanted a lean-to shelter, a more practical conception in Eve’s opinion. The Teepee was quickly shot down as the boys were reminded that dawn was arriving and their spiritual journey would need to be done at a more convenient time, not while the group was out on a mission.

Practically pouting, Jasper chose to help Collins with cutting down a long, thin tree for the frame while Monty and Clarke (against Eve’s protests), left to to harvest vegetation for food.

With arms folded tightly across her chest and a scowl hammered across her face, Eve watched as Dr. Griffin’s daughter and Monty, their only means of fixing the communication links at the dropship walked off into the forest; his voice cut through the ambience as he spoke in detail of the different kinds of plants they could keep an eye out for on their forage.

Once they were out of view and Eve could do nothing but wait for their return, she plopped herself onto the grass, mentally cursing her leg as she fidgeted with the pieces of wood and spruce root cordage lying before her. Her task at hand and only contribution at this point was to make fire for the night to keep the group warm and ward off animals, especially of the two-headed variety.

Placing a flat, long plank under her right knee, she leaned into it to hold in place as she inserted a thin, skinny stick into a v-shaped notch she had carved into the plank, fitting perfectly just mere centimeters within it - a feat she felt most proud of since it took her multiple tries to get the measurements right. Having set her needle, she looped the spruce root around it and then tied either ends to another stick, and like a bow sliding across a violin, she began to spin the needle, a flat rock in her hand as she held it steady. She spun it slowly at first to establish a rhythm, letting it drill into the base and then slowly increased her speed until it felt like she was sawing something in half.

A sweat had broken out on her forehead as she worked vigorously, trying to produce something that resembled smoke but after a long time and multiple breaks, nothing amerged.

Nothing.

With a frustrated sigh she spurned the set up away with a fling of her hand and sat back, resting her head in her hand. She pressed the sides of her temples with her fingers, trying to think of anything but the throbbing in her leg or the hunger gradually growing in her belly. When was the last time she even ate?

“What’re you doing?”

Eve’s head popped up to find Octavia standing idly by with her hands buried within the pockets of her dark blue trousers that had dampened from her wet undergarments. Glancing over her shoulder, Eve noticed that the boys were still working on the shelter, having completed the main support and walls but still needing to fill the spaces with debris for insulation. Why Octavia wasn't helping them finish up was beyond her.

She looked back at Octavia and then down at the pathetic setup with raised eyebrows, the sight of it making her feel more fatigued than she already did. “Failing at Earth skills apparently,” she replied with a dismissive wave of her hand, signaling she was done trying. She would work on it again when Clarke and Monty returned with some food. At least then she’d be able to think.

Leaning back to rest on the palm of her hands, Eve tilted her head back and closed her eyes, shamelessly letting out a sigh of relief as she extended her leg out, instantly feeling the pressure alleviate from her calf.

_So good._

Feeling the cool breeze against her cheeks, she appreciated the moment of near silence, the only sounds being those of leaves rustling in the wind and the boys stepping around in the near distance, seemingly collecting something from the trees. It was nice, not hearing the constant clattering and humming of the Ark

“Can I try?” Octavia’s voice was soft as it broke through the air and Eve was promptly reminded that Bellamy Blake’s sister was still standing there, with every ability to end her short time on Earth.

If she chose to do such a thing.

Cranking her eyes open, Eve lifted her head and turned to look at Octavia to see she was referring to the small pile of sticks, her emerald eyes fixated and filled with curiosity

“You want to start the fire?” asked Eve with a quirked eyebrow.

“Yeah, I’ve never done it before,” Octavia shrugged, removing her hands from her pockets and then crossing her arms across her chest. “Bellamy tried to teach me but we had to use plastic pieces.”

A small smile stretched across Eve’s lips and she lowered her head, holding back a small chuckle at the thought of Bellamy trying to explain friction fire on plastic. It wasn’t the worst way to teach someone but the idea of it was so...innocent.

“Well, gotta get him credit for trying.” She raised her head again and gave Octavia a warm smile, seeing it was making the girl relax a little more. “Here.” Eve patted the ground next to her and gestured to Octavia to join her. “I’ll show you. Maybe it’ll make more sense now.”

Octavia looked at the spot for a second, a hesitant look on her face as if she was unsure of herself or of the older girl but it quickly disappeared as she began to limp forward, one hand on her injured thigh. With a small struggle, she kneeled next to Eve, glancing at her before grabbing the bow and pin. “So how does this work?” she asked, staring cluelessly at the pieces.

“You want to make this stick spin,” - Eve pointed to the piece in Octavia’s left hand and then at the notch in the plank - “in this hole and fast enough to create friction. With enough of it, it’ll combust and ignite the tinder in the hole.”

Octavia thought about it for a moment and then nodded, placing the needle in the notch and moved the bow back and forth. “Like this?” she asked.

“Yes, exactly,” replied Eve with a reassuring smile. “Go steady and then up your speed until you’ve got a good rhythm.”

With a quick nod of understanding, Octavia began spinning the needle, slowly at first as she concentrated on her movements but it didn't take long before she had picked up the pace until she was sawing an invisible object.

Eve watched closely as Octavia worked, the girl’s brows furrowed and eyes filled with the utmost concentration. She didn't stop even when it was clear that her arms were getting tired and her hands were cramping nor did she give any indication she wanted to quit. Octavia continued, seemingly wanting nothing more than to ignite the tinder - nothing more than to accomplish the goal.

One thing was clear: the Blakes were relentless and it ran in their blood.

“Oh, my God.” Octavia suddenly stopped, her eyes widening with astonishment. “I did it!” she squealed, turning to Eve with a wide grin.

Eve smiled back and immediately reached for a large ball of dry grass she had put together earlier, handing it to her, and with a few simple instructions, Octavia was now staring at a ball of growing smoke in her hands.

“Jasper!” Octavia shouted, presenting it incautiously over her head. “Look! I made fire!”

Jasper was more than eager to heed to her accomplishment as he abandoned Collins and then scurried over to be next to her, watching with amazement as she placed the ball into the fire pit nearby, as if it were the first time he’d ever seen something get lit.

It settled nicely in the middle of the fire pit that Eve had created, the smoke and small flames growing larger as it spread to the other collected wood fibers and remained within the borders of the large rocks lined in a circle around it. With a few more handfuls of dry grass and feathered wood, the fire was ablazed and its warmth was a welcoming embrace.

Octavia and Jasper continued to smile with joy, the yellow flame glimmering in their eyes as Eve poked at it with a long stick. She glanced at them and smiled softly. It was nice seeing Octavia enjoying herself, not at all in the pissy mood she had been in all day and for once, not thinking about how much she hated the Ark or how much she wanted it to die.

Eve couldn’t help but wonder if that included her as well.

Half an hour later, Collins was finished with the shelter and trudged over to them, handing Eve’s knife back to her with a quick thanks before plopping down next to Jasper, utterly tired and spent. He commemorated Octavia’s success after Jasper enthusiastically boasted of it and the beautiful brunette blushed a shade of pink. Collins exhaled and then lied back onto the grass while Jasper and Octavia talked and giggled perpetually, ever so often including Eve into their conversation.

“Hey, I’m Jasper by the way,” Jasper said with a smile, turning to Eve as he fiddled with a piece of bark.

“Marie,” She replied simply, glancing up to see she had earned a confused look from Octavia.

“What’d they get you for, Marie?” Jasper hadn’t noticed that his question had struck Octavia rather peculiarly, her body tensing as her back straightened and eyes widened the slightest and for a moment, Eve thought she looked worried.

“Assault and battery,” Eve lied calmly, hoping that would be enough. Jasper slowly nodded in understanding, waiting for an elaboration and when she provided none, he didn't pry - surprisingly.

Instead he moved on to share stories about some exciting brawls he’d seen on the Ark, most of which she remembered reading within the guards’ daily reports and some where she remembered seeing the assailants behind the glass of the floating chamber, begging for their lives as she pushed the button.

“We’re back!” Monty’s cheerful voice was a welcomed surprise as it pulled her back from her thoughts. She turned her head to see him holding the edge of his shirt into a bowl-like fashion, carrying their provisions that included berries, roots, and some sprouts.

“Here.” Clarke said as she kneeled next to Eve to show her a handful of large, green leaves. “For your leg.” They were broad, oval shaped and had a smooth, veiny surface and by the way Clarke popped a few in her mouth to begin chewing, Eve could tell she found herself some herbal plantains. “Pull up your pant sleeve,” she ordered, her voice muffled as she masticated urgently.

_Yes, ma'am._

Pulling up her pant leg, Eve proceeded to carefully unwrap the piece of hardened cloth and tried not to wince as some dried blood peeled off the wound with it. Clarke leaned closer to examine the area, her eyes roaming and searching before sitting back up. “Doesn’t look infected,“ she informed and then casually spit into her own hand before using the other to smash the green mush into a sort of paste. “This poultice will make sure it doesn't.”

The young doctor’s apprentice gently applied the poultice onto Eve’s wounds, careful to not cause too much discomfort, and then rewrapped the cloth around it, her slight grimace showing that she wasn’t too happy to be reusing a bloody makeshift bandage. Pleased with her handiwork (as much she could be), Clarke shuffled away to move onto Octavia’s thigh, the brunette making an unceremonious sound of disgust as Clarke repeated the process.

It seemed that everyone was as hungry as Eve because within a matter of minutes from settling in, the food had disappeared, leaving them with the only consolation that they would be heading out to Mount Weather in the morning for real food. And when the sun set behind the mountains and night draped over the sky, the group began to retire into the lean-to shelter leaving Eve and Octavia to sit next to the campfire. Octavia assured Jasper that she would join them once she felt her clothes were dry enough but an hour had passed and the young girl was still sitting there, an arm lazily wrapped around a bent knee as she watched Eve prod at the fire.

“Thanks...by the way,” she said quietly, her eyes remaining on the glowing heat.

“Hm?” Eve was lying on her side, her arm bent upwards to support her head while the other aimlessly poked the developing charcoal. She turned her head to see Octavia’s thoughtful expression and then turned back to the fire. “Oh. No, you’re a natural, Octavia. If only Mr. Pike could see it now.”

“Who’s Mr. Pike?”

The question made Eve pause for a second to glance at the girl, somehow forgetting that Octavia never received a formal education. Everything she knew was second-hand knowledge from her mother and brother which made sense of why Bellamy had always been at the top of his class and one of the best Earth Skills students on the Ark. He had to make sure to be able to reteach everything to his little sister.

“Um, he teaches Earth Skills...back on the Ark, I mean,” replied Eve and continued fiddling with the fire.

Octavia’s eyes narrowed and she slowly nodded as an amused smile stretched across her face. “Yeah. He's the guy that completely lost it and attacked Murphy.”

Eve frowned, having heard about the incident. She continued poking until red sparks leapt out to settle on the rocks. She tossed the stick aside and sat up, her leg remaining stretched out. “Mr. Pike can get a little...intense when it comes to surviving. It's what makes him a good teacher.”

“Sure,” Octavia clucked. “When he's not beating up on kids.”

Eve chose to say nothing about the sneer remark, knowing Octavia was still young and inexperienced and quite frankly, didn’t understand the weight of being responsible for the well-being of others. It wasn’t easy and Charles Pike had one of the most important jobs on the Ark, to teach the minds of their future generations, and when he was informed of what was happening to the hundred - to students he had once taught and cared for...well, it didn't sit well with him. Murphy’s insolence had only managed to throw him over the edge. “We all makes mistakes. Some more than others,” she decided to say, more to herself than anyone and then drifted her gaze towards the darkness of the forest.

 _Only the strong survive._ Those words were printed across a banner that Mr. Pike had suspended from the classroom ceiling and would have the entire class repeat them after every day’s lesson. For a long time, Eve had believed it referred to strength in the physical sense but as she grew older, she had come to understand it also meant the emotional and mental strengths. The strength to do what needed to be done in the face of adversary and confliction - the guts to make the hard decisions as he would say.

But he never spoke about what came after making those hard decisions - the burdens that came after executing people...after watching them be sucked into a void. Mr. Pike never spoke about the dreams, the nights of waking in cold sweat, or the horrible, churning in her stomach whenever she met someone whose family member she floated.

The very thought of returning to the dropship tomorrow made her wish the Earth would split open and swallow her whole if only to avoid facing them all, avoid thinking about being the one that had floated some of their parents and friends.

She could feel Octavia looking at her but she didn't return her gaze in fear it would stir up further emotions, emotions she wanted to keep locked away.

“Yeah,” Octavia simply said after a long time and then returned her attention to the fire, tossing a large stick into it. It burst into a large flame and the girls watched as it roared and then settled into a small fire. “Anyways, I meant thanks for saving my ass back there. I’d be snake food right now if wasn’t for you. So thanks.”

Eve chortled softly, tilting her head to undo the band around her hair. “Well, to be honest, it's not like I had much of a choice. Your brother would have my head if anything happened to you,” she said, pulling at the band.

“I knew it!” She stopped, her hair released halfway, and looked up to see Octavia hustling to her feet, a mixture of pain and anger etched across her face. “I knew he wouldn’t just let me leave like that. First day and he's already treating me like a child. Well, you know what?” Octavia paused and then limped over to Eve with a hardened scowl and hands balled into fists. She stopped and leaned forward as she were going to spit acid in Eve’s face. “You can tell him I don't need a fucking babysitter!”

Octavia then turned away, spinning on her heel to head towards the shelter while Eve sat still in mild shock and confusion at the outburst. Did Octavia really think she was friends with Bellamy?

“Octavia.” She called out but the girl wouldn't stop. “Octavia!”

“What?” Octavia snarled, spilling around angrily.

Eve paused, contemplating if it was a good idea to have this conversation. She had wanted to distance herself from the Blake siblings as if she never knew them but as it would seem, she wouldn't be so lucky. Especially now that Octavia had been injured. Bellamy would have questions and would demand answers.

Sighing, Eve gestured to her to sit back down and when she didn't, she raised her eyebrows. “Sit,” she ordered firmly, not in any mood to argue so late in the day.

The brunette waited a few seconds, seemingly as an act of defiance before she hobbled over and sat back in her spot, arms crossed over her chest and clearly willing to throw another tantrum.

Keeping her voice low, Eve glanced at where the others slept and then leaned closer. “Your brother didn’t send me. In fact, he has no idea I’m here.”

Octavia blinked, her mind processing the information and then her shoulders relaxed, unfolding her arms. “Oh...so he _did_ let me go.” A small and giddy smile stretched across her face.

“Yeah, with five complete strangers,” Eve added as-a-matter-of-factly, pointing out his terrible brotherly skills.

Octavia ignored the comment, an utter look of confusion on her face. “Wait, so you _didn't_ help him get on the ship?”

“Absolutely not,” Eve replied firmly with a shake of her head. “How ever the hell he got on board is beyond me.”

_But someone must have helped him._

_“_ Then what are you doing here?”

A chilled breeze rushed around them as Eve’s blue eyes stared into Octavia’s green ones, a hundred thoughts running through her head. It was clear now that she knew nothing of what happened and held no grudge because of it. She was a blank slate and Eve wasn’t sure what to say. Should she tell her everything? Explain all the details of that day and possibly ruin Bellamy’s chance at rekindling his relationship with his little sister just when he was getting her back? Would she be so cruel?

No. Eve was many things but spiteful was not one of them.

She looked down sadly at the metal band around her wrist, seeing the vibrant lights and remembering Kane’s saddened eyes as they said goodbye. “I’m paying for my mistakes,” she whispered, trailing her fingertips over the edge of the band. “As we all are.”

“Yeah? Well, I guess my mistake was being born then.” Octavia made no effort in hiding the bitterness in her tone and quite frankly, Eve was growing sick of it. She wasn't the only one that suffered at the hands of Ark law and she wouldn't be the last.

“Your mistake was going to that dance knowing the consequences,” the older girl said firmly, her eyes darkened and staring directly at Octavia whose mouth was agape, a shocked look across her face.

The truth sucked but so did what happened every day on the Ark.

“Screw you!” Octavia spat, motioning to get up but Eve held her down, her hand firmly around her forearm.

“And you wanna know what my mistake was?”

“Not really,” she growled, trying to pull her arm away but Eve was stronger.

“Ever trusting your sell-out of a brother!” The words came out through clenched teeth but they were heard as clear as day and it was only when a short silence overtook them that Eve realized she was squeezing Octavia’s arm. A white hand impression was left behind as the older girl retracted her hand and realized what she had done, immediately feeling regret. None of it was Octavia’s fault and Eve had misplaced her anger. Something she had been doing alot lately. “I’m sorry,” she whispered and backed away, shame washing over her as she averted her gaze to the ground.

_So much for keeping that shit inside._

Instead of giving her a piece of her mind like Eve expected her to, Octavias brows furrowed as she leaned in, her voice low. “He did something,” she said softly and when Eve shook her head, she scooted closer. “What did he do? Tell me.”

The fire’s light and warmth danced across their skin as Eve sat in silence, regretting having said anything and deciding it would have been better if Octavia just hated her. At least then, this conversation could have been about convincing her to not expose her and not inadvertently trying to protect Bellamy - who didn't deserve just allegiance.

“He protected you,” replied Eve and before Octavia could say another word, she looked back at her with pleading eyes. “Octavia, you can't tell him I’m here. You can’t tell anyone or I’m dead. People here won’t take too kindly to someone like me. Do you understand?”

Octavia swallowed hard and then nodded urgently. “Yeah.”

“Thank you.” Eve let out a breath, feeling a massive weight lift off her shoulders. She turned away, dusting some dubris off her pants. “You should get some sleep. We have a long day tomorrow.”

There was no movement but after a few seconds, Octavia began to shuffle, grunting as she pushed herself off the ground to stand. Eve could feel her looking down at her, wanting to say something but then turned away and head towards the shelter.

Hanging her head over her shoulders, Eve pinched the bridge of nose, suddenly feeling very tired. Maybe it was the hunger or the fatigue but whatever it was, she felt very unbecoming. Since landing, she had felt nothing but contempt towards everything and everyone, and for no real good reason. Being sent to the ground was her fault and no one else’s.

“They caught you.” Eve tiredly turned her head to meet Octavia’s doleful eyes, seemingly putting together some of the pieces. “While I was in your unit. Didn’t they?’

Eve thought for a moment and then gave her a small smile. “Goodnight, Octavia.”

With downcast eyes, Octavia pressed her lips together and nodded. Eve watched as she ducked into the small entrance of the lean-to and disappeared

Taking a deep breath, Eve settled her eyes onto the fire once again, contemplating what had just transpired. She felt better knowing - or at least believing that Octavia would keep her presence a secret. But how long would it stay a secret? Logically, she couldn’t hide from Bellamy forever. It would be a small camp.

Leaning back, Eve tugged at the hairband tied around her hair, working to release the rest of her hair. Maybe she could blackmail him - threaten to tell Octavia the truth about her arrest? Would he believe her? Or maybe she could just-

“What the hell,” she murmured, dropping her hand to look at the broken piece of thick elastic with utter confusion. She couldn't believe it. She had used this hairband for years, never have given any sign of wear or tear, and now all of sudden it had just snapped? When she needed it most?

Eve shook her head with annoyance and tucked it away. Bringing her long, dark hair over her shoulder, she spent the rest of the night detangling it, listening to the mysterious and sourceless sounds of the forest and every so often hearing the others talk in their sleep. It was a long night of watch but it wasn’t anything she hadn’t done before. Except, of course, having to think of being attacked by a wild animal but what else was new?

oOo

“Looks secure,” said Collins as he pulled down at a thirty-foot rope that he had created from a collection of vines.

It was morning; the sun having rose an hour ago to shine across the valley and awaken the group from their slumber.

Eve sat on a moss covered rock a few feet away, arms firmly folded across her chest as she watched Collins recheck the rope’s integrity, the bags under her eyes feeling heavier than usual. Her upper back, specifically her right shoulder blade ached something terrible, presumably from the injury earlier the day before or leaning against an uncomfortable tree all night or maybe just because she had been awake for more than twenty four hours.

Either way, she felt like absolute shit.

Grass crunched and twigs snapped as Jasper trudged up the slope that overlooked the river, his lively grin making the day a little brighter than it already was as he smiled at Eve and then at Collins, clearly excited for what they were planning to do.

“So we just swing across?” Jasper asked and Collins nodded. “Nice.”

“Just don’t let go,” Collins warned, leaning back to test his weight.

“You wanted to go first. Now quit stalling. Mount Weather awaits,” Clarke shouted impatiently from below. She stood at the river, waiting alongside Octavia and Monty as they watched.

A warm smile stretched across Collins’s face as he gazed down at Clarke and she returned one of her own, and Eve couldn’t help but roll her eyes. Ever since they spent the night walking around in utter darkness (against her protests, again!) for an hour, looking at glowing plants and whispering God-knows-what, they wouldn’t stop trading long glances. Their attraction towards each other practically sucking the air out of the area.

If Collins didn't make his move soon, she swore she would strangle him.

“I’ll go first,” Eve stated and pushed herself off the rock to made her way to stand next to Collins, giving Jasper a sharp glare, signaling this was not up to debate. She gave the same look to Collins but he didn't falter, his expression filled with concern.

“Are you sure? I think I should. You know, just in case,” offered Collins but she ignored him, already taking the rope from his hand and when he didn't let go, she turned to him with a firm expression, jaw set and brows flattened.

“I’ll go first and in case it does break, you can just jump in after me again.”

Collins didn't miss the insincerity in her tone as he stared back at her. She didn't expect him to nor did she really care if did, in fact, go to her rescue but she was going first no matter what he said.

“Okay, fine. Go ahead,” he gave in, still uncertain but released his hold on the rope nonetheless before taking a step back to stand next to Jasper, giving the boy a wary look before folding his arms across his chest.

Eve gave him an appreciative smile and he smiled back awkwardly. She turned away to examine the thick collection of vines, seeing they weren’t old or falling apart and then pulled on rope with all her weight. It didn't make any odd or worrisome sounds and the tree branch it remained attached to only dipped slightly. It would hold her weight, she hoped. She wasn’t a heavy gal but she wasn’t exactly light either; always having been more burly in certain areas of her body and the muscle she had gained while training hadn’t helped the cause.

 **“** Come on, let’s go,” Clarke urged.

“Screw it. Here goes.” Eve took a few steps back before running forward and then jumped, wrapping her legs around the rope and held on to dear life as she swung across. She felt the adrenaline rush up into her chest, her eyes widening with a mixture of fear and excitement as she headed towards the other side. She saw small glimmers of the sun’s reflection against the water and felt the chilly, cold air waft through her hair before she was suddenly hovering over the other side of the river. For a moment she thought she wouldn’t let go, her hands clamped shut as she stared at the ground.

She had to.

With much reluctance, she let go and fell instantly, landing hard on dirt and cringed as a pain shot up her leg.

Swiftly, Eve rolled onto her side to face away from the river, squeezing her eyes shut as she took a deep breath, her jaw clenching together. She tried to focus on anything but the pain. She had meant to land with her good leg but with the way she had fallen, the complete lack of grace, she fell right on the one that was beginning to bleed again, the liquid already dripping over her ankle.

“Are you okay?” Clarke’s voice travelled across the river.

Eve lifted her arm and waved reassuringly, earning a loud, cheerful howl from Jasper cheerfully and the others followed, making her chuckle. She rolled onto her knees and slowly rose to her feet, trying to keep as much weight as possible off her right leg.

Barely standing, she looked up and ran her hand through her hair to pull it back to get a clear view of the new forest before her. It looked much of the same: quiet, massive and overabundant. Nothing had stirred as she waited and listened, hearing nothing but the wind and rustling of leaves.

It looked clear.

She turned around to inform the others but Jasper had already lunged forward, whooping and howling as he swung across.

 _Oh, shit._ She hastily limped out of the way before Jasper could crush her, finding a nearby bend of stone to quickly sit on as he came flinging through the air, his leg hitting a pile of driftwood before his body unceremoniously landed with a hard thud, a poof of dust bursting around him.

Eve smiled. “Welcome to the other side,” she greeted as Jasper lifted his head, seemingly surprised that he made it. He turned to her and grinned excitedly. Quickly jumping to his feet, unharmed and completely hyped, he looked across the river and then threw his fists in the air.

“We are apogee!” he howled with all his might.

The others gathered together to cheer in acclamation, clapping and throwing their arms in the air excitedly as they whooped with laughter.

“You did it, Jasper!” Clarke shouted and it made him howl even more. He jumped in the air, waving his hands as he spun around to do a little dance and Eve couldn't help but laugh. He made his way back around to see Finn facing Clarke, the large rope back in his hand.

“Come on, Clarke! You got this!” he encouraged, throwing another fist in the air

The smile on Eve’s face quickly faded, suddenly feeling uneasy as Collins offered the bundle of vines to Clarke and she realized it was her turn to cross. Clearing her throat, Eve sat up straight and fixed her gaze across the river as the young blonde exchanged some words with Collins, both their hands still holding the rope as they looked into one another’s eyes while Jasper made his way out her view and to the forest.

She remained on the stone bend, waiting for Clarke in case her swing was too short and she fell into the river, or the vine suddenly broke and she fell into the river, or her landing was too-

“We did it!” shouted Jasper followed by a loud howl. Eve twisted around to see him holding a large, metal and tattered sign over his head that read MOUNT WEATHER followed by other wording that was too faded to decipher. “Mount Weather! Whoo!”

_Finally, we’re getting somewhere._

A sense of relief washed over Eve as Jasper shook the sign with excitement, feeling grateful that their journey was coming to an end and the group would finally be able eat something real. Not to mention, she’d be able to get some sleep.

She was beginning to feel better already.

Something dashed across the air and then Jasper was suddenly flung back ten feet against and then against a tree, his body landing with a loud thud. Eve’s eyes widened to the size of the moon as she realized a long and massive stick was now lodged directly into Jasper’s chest, his eyes frozen in fear as he stared down at it.

He had been _speared_.

She turned around, urgently searching the other side of the river for any indication of where it had been launched from but there was no nothing. Only more green. Her eyes trailed over to the group, seeing the panic overwhelm them as they did the same.

“Run!” Eve shouted at the top of lungs, making everyone turn to her and then she saw it - saw _him_ rising from the bushes only a couple of hundred meters from the group, his clothing easily letting him blend in with the underwood. His arm rose and pulled back as he held a long, pointed stick.

 _Shit_.

Flinging herself to the side, she rolled off the edge of the bend, falling back into the river before hearing a loud clank of metal strike at the spot she had just been sitting on. The water felt cold as usual but was only waist deep and she wasted no time in making her way back to shore, keeping her head low behind the rocks. Taking a deep breath, she paused and turned around to see the others were hiding as well, crouched in line behind the large rocks.

She was eternally grateful for their quick thinking.

They whispered amongst themselves and when it seemed they had come to a decision, Clarke turned her head, her bright blue eyes meeting Eve’s across the river. She looked scared, sad and  conflicted, all at the same time and it seemed as if she were apologizing. Eve felt her stomach drop.

They were going to run for it.

No, he was there, on _their_ side. She shook her head urgently and Clarke returned another apologetic look before turning away and dashed out from underneath their hiding place to follow Collins into the forest, Octavia and Monty following closely behind. She watched helplessly as they disappeared into the bush and towards the attacker, knowing she could do nothing for them now. They were on their own. And so was she.

Taking a deep breath, Eve slowly and carefully stood to peek over the bend, attempting to catch a glimpse of the attacker who she was hoping hadn’t chased after them and instead pointlessly decided to finish her off. The area in the forest he had been hiding in was now clear and she saw no movement other than the steady flow of the river. She trailed her eyes to the right to where Jasper was lying to see his eyes were then closed and body completely still.

He hadn’t looked remotely alive.

Swallowing hard, she slowly ducked back behind her cover and crouched, trying to listen for anything as she reached into her jacket and retrieved her pistol from its pocket. She slowly racked the slide to place one of the twenty bullets from the magazine into the chamber and then pulled back the hammer with her thumb, the clicking of it all amplified in the sudden dead silence of the forest.

If Jasper was indeed dead, she would need to find a quick way back across the river and hope to God that the group could run fast enough back to camp and get help. But Octavia was injured. She wouldn't be able to keep up, let alone sprint. They would need to leave her behind but Eve knew they wouldn’t, not a million years, especially with Clarke amongst them.

_This is bad. This is really, really bad. How the hell are there people down here?_

Suddenly, a low groan resonated and she jumped up, pistol ready in hand, to peek over the bend again and she saw Jasper with eyes still closed but his head moving ever so slightly. He groaned again.

He was alive.

_Holy shit._

Quickly leaving the safety of her cover, she made her way towards him, pistol securely in hand as she kept her eyes and ears out for anything being flung her way and to her small disappoint, nothing did and she knew the attacker had gone after them. She pushed the thought to the back of her mind and kneeled next to Jasper, placing the handgun to her side.

“Jasper,” she whispered. He didn't respond, his body motionless. She frowned, not at all liking the pale color of his face. Placing two fingers under his jaw, she waited and after a few seconds, she felt it - his pulse. It was weak but existent. “Thank God,” she exhaled, head dropping and shoulders hunching over with relief.

“Help.” Eve’s head shot up, eyes widened as Jasper weakly mumbled and groaned for help.

“No, no, no. Don’t talk,” she warned, placing a hand on his shoulder to calm him down. He went silent again, much to her relief. She was no doctor but she was pretty sure a spear to the chest would call for staying as still as possible. Sighing, Eve turned her head to look across the river, wishing Clarke was there.

Seriously, what the hell was she supposed to do? The Guard had taught her some medical techniques, mainly first aid, but nothing that could help her treat a penetrated chest plate and possible internal bleeding. She didn’t even know if he could be moved.

_Fuck. What do I do?_

Eve turned back to Jasper to tell him it was all going to be okay and she would figure it out but as soon as she did, she realized someone was standing over them. Looking up, it was the same man from across the river, his face covered by dark smears and a mask, and the last thing she remembered was the darkness in his eyes before his heel connected with her head.

* * *

**Thanks for reading!**


	6. Fight-or-Flight

**WARNING: Graphic Violence, Sexual Assault (Mild)**

* * *

It wasn’t long before Eve found herself groaning and moaning, her eyes feeling puffy and swollen as she wrenched them open. Her vision wasn’t much more than a blur of color but it gradually cleared and she could see the dark color of her trousers and her dark strands of hair cascaded from either side of her face. With a few more blinks, her vision settled; her back and neck cracking and popping as she lifted her heavy head, the pressure against the base of her skull somewhat relieving. The skin around her left temple felt taut and sore but the pain wasn’t enough to cause her any immediate concern. If anything, it was bruised and hopefully not gashed open.

The area around her was shrouded in brightness, her eyes squinting to filter it all and when the luminosity faded like smoke clearing from the air, her eyes widened. Rich greens and browns lined everything from where she sat to the area above her. She tilted her head back to get a look of the thick canopy above. Little streams of light twinkled through the cracks as a gentle breeze rustled through and she blinked, her mind trying to wrap around they beauty. Her gaze absently trailed back down and her eyes landed on the clearing before her. She was sitting in a bed of forest, covered by patches of grass and small shrubbery. A thicket of underbush created a wall around the clearing, separating her and the rest of the forest.

She looked past the top of the underbush and noticed it continued on and on for miles, the forest made of modestly sized columned trees continued into the distance. The sight of it made her want to run off and touch everything, _smell_ everything as the scent of humid air and grass filled her senses.

 _Marcus would love this_ , she thought.

The distant image of Marcus blissfully strolling through the trees made the small smile that had pulled at the corners of her mouth slowly fade as she remembered the impossibility of that thought. She was on Earth and Marcus was still on the Ark, facing the reality of extinction. Her memories from the past few hours began to steadily return; she remembered the dropship landing, the serpent in the river, swinging across the river, feeling the cool air in her hair and...

_Jasper!_

Eve jolted up to stand but was instantly forced back to the ground her body recoiling against a hard surface.

_What the…_

She pulled her arms forward, only to feel the tight tug around her wrists. Looking over her shoulder, her eyes met the bark of a tree that stretched twenty feet towards the sky, it's canopy intertwining with the rest of the forest’s. Eve blinked, her mind realizing the situation… she was tied to a tree.

She was a _captive_.

The mere thought of the word sent a surge through her body, one that raced from her mind to her shoulders and down to her wrists where the restraints felt like hot iron against her olive skin. They were tight, unbearably so but it hadn’t deterred her from thrashing around like a trapped animal to get free. She tugged viciously, swaying desperately from side-to-side in the hopes the binds would loosen enough to allow a slip of the wrist or snap the entire thing apart. And when that hadn’t worked, she tried to stand. She thrusted her heels into the dirt and the pain that shot up her leg from doing so quickly reminded her of the wound above her ankle but she ignored it. Escape was her only priority. She tried to shimmy her way up along the length of the tree but her arms were too stretched around its thickness and the only thing she accomplished was receiving tears into the fabric of her sleeves. Of her favorite and _only_ jacket.

Her spurt of energy quickly diminished and she suddenly felt tired, very tired. Along with hungry and thirsty. Plopping back down onto the base of the tree, Eve hung her head in defeat and let out a frustrated sigh that was quickly drowned by the gag in her mouth, the rough cloth tugging crudely at the corners of her lips. She shut her eyes and took a deep breath, smelling the sweet, humid air, and exhaled. She thought of nothing, or at least tried to, as she repeated the exercise until the adrenaline and panic slowly began to subside. The tension melted from her muscles, her shoulders relaxing and breathing settling as her heart rate returned to a steady, yet slightly elevated beat. The dull ache on the side of her head returned along with her senses.

Feeling calm and collected again, she lifted her head, facing the world once more, and rested her head against the tree. The panic had dwindled but her anger was still there, simmering just under the surface of the thought of being captured. Another muffled and frustrated sigh escaped her lips.

Eve couldn't believe it. How could she let someone get the drop on her? How?

The attacker had found Jasper and her - that much she remembered, and sometime shortly after, they must have knocked her out cold. They brought her here and by the obvious, and yet aggravating, looks of things… she was indeed a captive now.

_Great._

She was tied up, fine, but where was Jasper? Where were _they_?

Ignoring the soreness in her neck, she looked around for any sign of the young man but the only presence was the quiet ambience, the abundance of underbush encasing the clearing, and an old, dead log resting a few meters from her. Near it was a small fire pit that had been turned off, a line of smoke escaping from the last fading embers, indicating that it had recently been used.

Why would they need fire at this time of day and why hold her captive and then leave?

It didn’t make sense. Then again, the whole planet hadn’t made any sense since she landed. No one was supposed to be on Earth in the first place.

Whatever the reason, they would surely return for their prisoner and Eve preferred not to be there when they did. She sat up straight properly against the tree and focused on slipping her fingers into the small slit within the end of her sleeve, digging for the stored blade. Marcus had always found it silly that she would think of such a thing - implying she was being paranoid and eccentric - and he was probably right but she couldn’t be more grateful for her paranoia at that moment.  

With caution and some intricate effort, she retrieved the sharp blade, the edge of it ticking her finger but she paid no mind and proceeded to cut the binds that were tightly wrapped around her wrists. Eve let out a muffled curse as the razor scraped against metal and she realized the binds were made of the wires she had taken from the dropship.

They obviously must have taken it from her pocket which meant...

Her eyes dropped to the front of her jacket which was zipped open and by the lack of weight and not seeing in its holster, it was was clear they had taken her pistol as well.

 _Do they even know how to use it?_ She grumbled inwardly.

Instinctively, her eyes flicked up through her dark lashes to see that they had also unsheathed her knife. She scowled.

It was now in the hands of some Earther that would probably use it to pick food out their teeth.

Taking a deep breath, Eve pushed the frustrations to the back of her mind, deciding to mourn her loss at a later time. She needed to find Jasper. With the utmost concentration, she focused on cutting the wires, keeping the strokes steady so that when enough of its integrity was shaved she could snap it in half.

She worked for a good minute, her thoughts switching between Jasper and the others.

Was he alive? If he was, he’d still be injured. And taking him back to camp on her own wouldn’t be a good option. Or a safe one. She would need to figure out how to treat him until he was better to make the travel. They would need to stay out there in the uncharted wilderness and survive amongst whatever was scurrying through the valley - including Earthers. Or Grounders as most people on the Ark would refer to them.

Or he was dead.

Eve frowned at the thought. He had died alone and scared and she had done nothing to help him.

Her heart felt heavy and she hoped he was okay. But the only substantial thing she could really hope for now was that the others had made their way back to camp safely and weren't planning on a rescue party. It would be suicide considering they had no weapons or combat skills and annoyingly, she would bet rations that that wouldn’t stop Dr. Griffin’s daughter from trying.

After all, the young woman was willing to do anything to get those supplies from Mount Wea-

Her thoughts came to a screeching halt. Eve’s body stilled and a breath was caught in her throat as her gaze fell upon the old log again. She was staring at it mindlessly for a moment but upon really analyzing it, there was no mistake. The dark shades of the wood that she assumed were just part of its aging color were a shade red, a _dark_ red... the color of dried blood.

She swallowed hard and if it hadn’t been for the light rustle of leaves, she would’ve never heard someone step into the small clearing. Her head snapped to the left, wide eyes landing on a giant that stopped and looked back at her. He must have stood half a foot taller than her and she was by no means a short girl. A burly, dark coat hung off his large frame and reached his legs while an animal’s dark fur covered his shoulders and neck, his thick red hair and beard dangling over it. There was a crude swipe of something black across his eyes, ascenting the intense green of them as they continued to stare; his expression unreadable.

She stared back, frozen in place at the sight of the large, steely man, fear crawling up her spine at how defenseless she felt at that moment. He could kill her and there was nothing she could do about it. After a few heavy seconds, his gaze turned away and he veered to his left, sauntering towards the blood-stained log to plop himself down, letting out a tired sigh. Eve remained still, forgetting about her goal, and only watched as he stared off into the distance with heavy eyes before it trailed over to her and she flinched, his gaze unexpectedly meeting hers once again. He smirked and turned away, reaching into his pocket to retrieve something round and reddish-yellow. Something that Eve didn't recognize.

Holding it in his left hand, his right reached into his coat around his waist and Eve’s heart dropped upon recognizing the serrated edge steel of the knife he brought forth. It was hers. He used it to slowly cut into the unfamiliar fruit and Eve clenched her jaw, feeling as if he were mocking her. And when he glanced in her direction, smirking at her reaction, she knew he was.

 _Dick_.

As he continued to cut slices into the fruit and pop them into his mouth, the crunching sound a incessant reminder of the grueling hungry growing within her, she redirected her attention back to the task at hand. Her movements were minimal and she cut slowly as to not create any noise but her progress was somewhat deterred, the blade continually slipping between her fingers from the growing coat of blood that seeped from the cuts in her wrists that had been created when she lost her shit like an idiot. Just a couple more slides and the wire would surely snap. She could feel it.

Eve stopped, realizing the sounds of crunching had ceased as well.

Reluctantly, she turned her head to see the Grounder was staring again, a piece of fruit protruding under his cheek as he had stopped mid-chew. His face was like stone, indecipherable and cold. But her heart jumped as he suddenly rose to his feet, fruit in one hand and blade in the other as he made his way towards her, his steps surprisingly quiet for someone of his stoutness.

She kept her eyes on the ground as he stepped over her legs and stopped to crouch down to eye level, his mouth chewing loudly as he continued eating in front of her. The Grounder simply stared and when Eve didn’t turn to look at him, the tip of the blade touched her jaw and she swallowed as he carefully directed her face towards him.

The areas that weren’t covered by the copper beard were tanned and rugged from sun exposure and age. He must have been around his late thirties. There was a deep scar across his left cheekbone and a few collected around the corner of his eyebrows presumably from fighting but the only thing that surprised her was the color of his eyes, so vivid and green, giving off a sense of false benevolence.  

She had no doubt the grounder was using the same time to examine her as well, his eyes carefully trailing over her face. He gazed at her left temple - a look she had seen before whenever someone was staring at a bruise - and then at her eyes, ignoring her cautious demeanor as he took in their bright blue before his gaze stopped at her lips, his head cocking to the side to bask in whatever thought he was having.

Eve pressed her back against the tree, trying to keep as much distance from him as she could as she began to feel more uncomfortable the longer he lingered. His gaze moved on down her neck and then over her torso, carelessly staring at her bosom.

Her eyes narrowed as his eyes didn't move away. Scowling, she conspicuously cleared her throat and his eyes flicked back up to her face and he smirked, seemingly finding her irritated look amusing. She replaced it with a warning glare but it quickly disappeared as she flinched back when he suddenly presented the fruit to her, his lips stretching across his face to form a friendly grin. His teeth were surprisingly a white color with minimal yellow staining and he had all his teeth, giving the impression that cavities weren’t a common theme on the ground.

She flinched again as his burly and dirty hand extended forward, his little finger gracelessly pulling off the gag. Her tongue automatically licked to the sooth the inner corners of her mouth, tasting the faint bitterness of copper.

Eve motioned to talk when he gestured his hand forward again and her eyes darted to the fruit. At the sight of it, her stomach felt even more hollow and she could no longer ignore being famished. It was almost perfectly round besides the humps on the bottom and the dipped top that contained a stem; its blend of yellow and red topped with small freckles of green led her to believe it was some sort of peach but it had no hairy exterior.

Whatever it was, it looked absolutely enticing. Ignoring his dirty fingers, she leaned forward to take a wide bite but her teeth failed to meet it. Confused, she turned to the Grounder to see a wide, amused grin plastered across his face and she scowled, realizing he had pulled it away to mess with her. He was clearly in a playfulmood and she was most certainly not.

The idea of kneeing him in the groin crossed her mind but with her being tied up and all… it didn’t seem like a good idea.

Besides, she had already lost too much time and she made up for it by attempting to force the wire to snap. She placed the small razor that was between her fingers over the wire and with a steady push of her thumb, she pressured it to break but it didn’t, no matter how hard she pushed.

The Grounder continued to smile and made no indication that he knew anything was amiss and even offered the fruit to her once more. She didn’t bothering looking at it; instead she gave him a dirty look as she leaned away, refraining from falling for his antics again.

His cocky grin was suddenly replaced by a closed smile and he bowed his head ever so slightly. She narrowed her eyes on him as he waited, still holding the fruit to her face. He _seemed_ to be apologizing but she couldn't be sure as his eyes still held their mischievous twinkle. Glancing at the fruit, she went for it again, deciding that if he tried it again she would knee him where it’d hurt. And hopefully she wouldn’t die in the process.

That time the fruit remained in place and her teeth bared into it, the crunching loud in her ears before she pulled away to munch. The piece was small and somewhat hard but with every bite an extraction of juices filled her mouth with a dewy, sweet taste.

It was glorious. She decided it was an apple. It had to be.

The Grounder watched her with a curious yet almost absent expression as she chewed, seemingly basking in her enjoyment and watching her lips as they moved. Eve quirked an eyebrow, not sure if she liked that look. If she didn’t know any better, she’d think he was being aroused.

It was then that she also decided he was a creep.

Swallowing the last bit of apple, Eve looked to her left to where he had stepped out from and then back at him. “Where’s my friend? Did _he_ take him?” she asked, referring to the Grounder that gave her the bruise on her head. He gave no response or indication that he understood, only continued staring at her. She swallowed nervously. “Is he dead?”

No response.

She clenched her jaw and pressed the razor further, hoping desperately that it would snap the one wire that would provide her release but her hands froze when the tip of her blade came up to her neck, just underneath her jaw. She became still as the steel dug slightly into her skin but didn’t pierce. The Grounder didn't seem to care for her discomfort and instead seemed to enjoy it as his heavy eyes gazed at her, his expression shifting from lustful curiosity to something lecherous.

Eve swallowed hard as the blade trailed down the length of her thin neck and over her chest, sending a tingling surge of fear up her spine at the idea that he could thrust it forward at any moment. It stopped over her left breast, his eyes landing on it and then to the rest of her chest to watch it rise and fall.

Suddenly his face contorted into a devilish smirk as an idea popped into his head. Tossing the apple aside, he gripped the bottom of her camisole - or what was left of it - and pulled it forward to slice it in half with an upward swing of the knife. Her mouth dropped as she looked down at her exposed torso and then back at him with bewilderment. He showed no sign of remorse and only frowned at the sight of her bra.

Her eyebrows knitted together as she understood the look on his face, seeing what he was thinking. Her expression hardened as she slowly lifted her head to look at him with scornful eyes. “No,” she warned. He ignored her and brusquely reached for her bra, his fingers digging in between her breasts. “No!” she shouted this time and struggled against his grip, squirming from side to side. She attempted to kick him off but he was already ahead of her, his knees bending over her legs to pin them down as if he had done it a hundred times before. The Grounder struggled to keep her steady and when he couldn’t, his elbow came forth and smacked her across the cheek, sending her on a small daze. By the grip on her bra, he crudely pulled her back into place against the tree.  She lazily leaned back, clenching her jaw in anger as she watched him continue what he was doing.

He was despicable.

For a moment, she had thought the panic would overtake her again - freeze her in place and allow her dignity to be taken but the second he decided to hit her… everything fell into place. The anger from being struck was like a shot of adrenaline. It cleared her mind of any doubt or fear. Her cold eyes narrowed onto him and with all her might, she pressed the small razor against the thick wire…

SNAP!

Eve’s eyes shot wide open. Her hands slipped out smoothly and effortlessly from the entanglement and without hesitation, she reached forward, the knife begin inches from her chest. Firmly gripping the Grounder’s wrist and lower forearm she turned them both in his direction and thrusted forward, leading the blade into his own neck.

An irrepressible jolt made Eve flinch as a spray of crimson red splattered over her; large drops of it covered her face, her chest and then rained over her pants as the Grounder lowered his head, his hand attempting to cover the wound albeit the knife was still lodged there. His beard quickly became four shades redder as it soaked up the blood and the front of his coat shined from the wetness that the cascade left behind.

Frozen in place, Eve could only stare back with shock as the Grounder struggled for a moment but then slowly and painfully lifted his head to look at her. The sounds of gurgling and gushing caused by his efforts would haunt her for the rest of her days but what she saw shocked her even more. He hadn’t seemed frightened, his expression calm and collected even in the face of death and before he keeled over...

He smiled.

And then the giant fell, his body landing with a loud and hard thud.  

The atmosphere became quiet and the surrounding life became still as Eve’s glassy, blue eyes stared at the dead body lying sprawled on its side; the Grounder’s hand remained clutched at his throat while his vacant eyes stared off into the other world. His smile no longer. She had to rip her gaze from the sight.

Eve stared at the dirt at her feet until she realized she wasn’t breathing. With a loud gasp, she took shallow, sporadic breaths as the air suddenly became thinner. The world morphed into a tunnel before her and she couldn’t shake the fog that consumed her mind or the thought that echoed repeatedly.

_I killed him._

She lifted her heavy hands to cover her eyes to regain some kind of control but upon bringing them to light they shined with a rich, bright red like she had dipped them in a river of blood. So much blood. The sight of it almost made her retch.

A sound resonated to her left and her head snapped towards to it. For a moment, she feared that the body had reanimated and returned with a vengeance but what she saw was far worse.

Exactly where the Grounder had entered the clearing, the man she had originally encountered at the river was standing there, his body halfway out of the underbush as he had stopped mid-step to take in the scene before him. He was almost identical to the dead Grounder except that he was hairless and wore a mask that caged his lower face. He wasn’t looking at her - not yet, but instead at his fallen comrade.

After a few seconds, having registered the scene before him, his stone expression slowly turned into something that resembled sorrow and then something more familiar to Eve… anger.

There was murder in his eyes as they darted to look at her and nothing else. She swallowed hard again, feeling her stomach twist into a knot as he stepped into the open area, his stature the same as his friend’s but he was slightly heftier - in a muscular kind of way under all that animal leather and hide.

Another surge of adrenaline shot up her spine and that rate, Eve was sure she would crash indefinitely from how hard her flight-or-fight system was working to keep her alive. She hastily forced herself to her feet, pushing past the mental fog and lack of oxygen. Her legs felt like noodles but she managed to lean over the Grounder’s body to pull her only means of defense from his throat, ignoring the nauseating squishing sound it made. She limped a few steps back and held the knife firmly before her to demonstrate she wasn’t going down without a fight, although knife fighting was never really her forte. And she quite honestly didn’t feel like she could win at that moment even if it was.

But Eve was fairly certain that she could manage. Or perhaps that was just the adrenaline talking.

He gladly took it as an invitation as he swiftly reached at his belt and unsheathed a rather large blade that teetered between being a small sword and dagger, making her heart drop into her stomach. He slashed it skillful at the air before ending his stride into a balanced stance, his knees slightly bent and sword/dagger lightly swerving in his left hand.

“Oh, fuck me,” she breathed, suddenly feeling like there was a pocketknife in her hand instead. The Grounder steadily stepped forward and when he began to effortlessly switch hands, she realized she was incredibly out of her league. He would gut her if he got the chance and probably eat her insides by the crazy look he was giving her.

Eve thought of running for it but with the current condition of her leg, she knew he would catch up to her. That is, if he didn’t decide to fling the sword/dagger into her back.

The idea of explaining what had happened - like his friend was trying to rape her and she did the only sensible thing and killed him - had crossed her mind but somehow she felt he wasn’t interested even he could magically understand her.

Before she knew it, he was only a meter or two away and when he pretended to lunge at her, she hastily stepped back, gripping her knife tighter and then prepared for a follow up attack. But instead he remained at a distance. He did it a more few times and it became clear that he was toying with her. He wanted to bait her, make her attack out of frustration or anger so he could swoop in, counter, and finish her off.

But little did he know that she was practically shitting her pants and she wouldn’t be the one to initiate anything. Keeping her distance seemed like the most plausible idea. God help her.

They played a slow pace of cat and mouse until he became so frustrated that he began swinging wildly and she worked desperately to avoid his swings. His technique was astounding; he swung swiftly with no hesitation and each one aimed to cut at something important whether it was her neck, abdomen, or thighs. His movements were like lightning and no attack was wasted as he quickly recovered from missing and flowed into another attack. She leaned away and stepped back accordingly, watching his every move - hoping he would become tired at some point and give her some kind of opening - any kind, any opportunity to disable him and make her escape into the forest.

But her time and luck ran out as she lost her footing on a small dip in the ground and as she fumbled to regain her balance, the Grounder lunged forward and cut at her upper arm. It sliced through like butter and the hot liquid already began to leak down her elbow as the sharp pain and shock of the blow sent her to the ground.

And then it all happened so fast. She looked up to see the Grounder had quickly closed the distance and was then standing over her with his blade held high in his hands, his face engulfed with rage, and without another thought, he brought it down with every intention to stab her throat.

In that moment, she should have been filled with terror, knowing she was going to die, knowing that would be her last moment. But the only thing she felt was the moist soil under her hand and it crumbled into thick clots as she balled a handful into her fist.

She swiftly flung it into his face.

The grounder roared as his hand lifted to his face. He pawed urgently at the dirt in his eyes and as he struggled, Eve caught sight of her pistol stuffed into the front of his pants, the metal a smooth and shiny contrast to his tattered clothing. She lunged forward, yanking it from his person before leaning back.

The sound of the gun going off was almost deafening. The blast trailed off into the woods before quickly leaving a dead silence in its tracks.

Eve remained still, staring up wide-eyed at the Grounder. His head was tilted back over his shoulders while a small line of smoke steamed from it. She held the gun tightly in her hands, her knuckles turning white, even after the Grounder’s stiff body fell back with a loud thud that sent a shiver through her body.

Everything was deathly quiet again besides the sound her heart beating against its cage. Her breathing was surprisingly steady but her vision became tunnelled again, everything becoming out of focus. And suddenly her entire body became heavy. The gun felt drastically heavier in her hands and it took a moment of concentration to lower her arms.

Eve knew what was happening. She had discussed the concepts of mental shock in training many times, as well as the methods to overcome of it. But now as she sat in the dirt, a thickness consuming her mind, she couldn't think of any of it. The methods, the training… it was beyond her and the only thing that was vaguely comprehensible was the thought of running. Getting as far away as possible before someone else showed up.

She slowly rose to her feet, her arms held out to keep her steady and with a few slow and heavy steps, she made her way to the shrubbery before taking off. Unknowingly into the direction the Grounders had arrived from.

oOo

Large branches and their rough leaves scraped across her face and hands as Eve trudged through the thicket, strands of her hair yanking from her scalp as it was caught on branches on the way. But she paid no mind to it. All she wanted was to get away. As far away as she could from what had happened.

She continued on in her dream-like daze, hastily forcing her way through the unrelenting bush, her knife in one hand and gun in the other to kill anything that approached her. There was a noise behind her and Eve’s head snapped to the right to look over her shoulder, her wide and frantic eyes searching for the source of the sound. She saw nothing but the trail she was leaving behind. Were there more of them? Were they following her?

Eve worried her bottom lip as she continued to examine the area, still forcing her way through the woods, before her foot was suddenly caught under an exposed root and she went flailing forward. Her reaction was too slow to brace for the fall and so she fell flat on her face, the scent of the moistened dirt assaulting her nostrils.

The soil and grass felt soft beneath her and the thought of rising came and went like the wind. Instead she lied in the dirt, unable to find the strength or will to lift herself. She felt like a sack of grain, heavy and indifferent, and with how welcoming the floor bed felt, she was tempted to remain there - to allow the Earth to eat her up just so she wouldn’t have to face her world that was crumbling down like the city of Troy, but instead of flames, her own fear was burning her from the inside. Eve closed her eyes, allowing her exhausted mind to drift away, hoping sleep would take her but her conscious had other plans. It led her to the past and into an old memory.

  
She was back on the Ark. Younger and definitely dumber. She was on the floor. The left cheek of her face remained stuck to a hard plastic as she lied prone, drained and defeated.

  
“Keeping going, Cadet! Back in position. Now!”

  
With weak, trembling arms, she groaned as she slowly lifted herself onto her knees, seeing blurred droplets of sweat fall into bursts on the smooth blue mat. She sat there, her shoulders hunched over and head hung low as she stared tiredly at her hands. The creases of her palms so vivid under her lifeless fingers.

She couldn't go on.

She couldn't continue with the long repetitions and constant change of pace. She couldn't continue trying to meet their impossible standards. Why did she agree to this? Marcus said this would be good for her.

  
Sitting in the corner of a small room that smelled of sweat and dirty socks, she remained kneeled between two others that held their plank positions, doing their best to ignore her lest they worsen their own situation.

  
The Sergeant of the Guard continued barking, ordering her to get in position but it was all lost in translation, his bellowing voice becoming a distorted muffle in the buzzing in her ears.

  
She should have never listened to Marcus.

With the absolute assurance he said she would achieve great things by joining the Guard but the only thing she had managed to achieve was aching muscles, a beaten ego, and people that hated her guts for always getting the group in trouble. And here they were again, getting smoked for her lack of endurance and strength.

  
She should have never listened to Marcus.

  
Drunk-eyed and exhausted, she stared at the floor mat and began to wonder where they had gotten the materials to make such a rich blue. A blue so solid that it looked as if they had mashed blue flowers into a powder and soaked it into the plastic. Where would they get blue flow-

  
“Are you deaf, Logan?” Sergeant Miller, a swarthy man with a dour-looking face stomped over to her, his hands held behind his back as he bent down to glare at her, his eyebrows almost becoming one. “I said in position!”

  
Her head shot up to face Sergeant Miller and she mumbled something that she hoped would sound less like what she wanted to say.

  
“Speak up, Cadet. I can’t hear you!”

  
“I can’t, Sergeant,” Eve repeated, hardly any louder.

  
“Why not?” he demanded.

  
She remained silent, trying to think of something to say that wouldn’t get her yelled at.

  
“I asked you a question, Cadet!”

  
“I’m- I'm tired,” she stammered, internally cringing as she prepared herself to be ordered to do another set of incessant pushups.

  
Instead, Sergeant Miller’s stern look fractionally softened. “Are you hurt, Cadet?” he asked with no real concern in his voice.

  
“No…” she replied quietly, lowering her head in shamer.

  
“No, Sergeant!” he corrected her.

  
Eve’s head shot up. “No, Sergeant!” she repeated, her voice cracking under the slight panic.

  
“Are you dead?” he asked.

  
“No, Sergeant!”

  
He gave her a long look before standing up straight. “Then as long as you are still alive, you can and will keep on! Now get up before I make you run through this whole goddamn ship!”

  
Eve’s blue eyes shot open as Sergeant Miller's voice echoed in her ears. _As long as you are still alive…_

Her tired arms shook as she slowly and forcefully lifted herself off the ground until she was sitting on her heels. Specks of dirt shedded off her face and clothes as she stared off tiredly into the distance, her mouth slightly agape to take calm breaths. Quitting was not option. It was never was.

But she almost did. She _wanted_ to.

Shame threatened to buzz its way into her thoughts but she quickly swatted it away. Yes, the Ground had managed to knock her down in two measly days but she wasn’t going to beat herself up over it. All she could do was move forward now. For the Ark, for Marcus. He needed to know she was alive and the only way to make sure she remained that way was to make it back to camp in one piece. And she couldn’t do that by lying in the dirt, letting herself soak in her own self-pity, waiting to be eaten or killed off.

“Okay,” Eve exhaled, replying to Sergeant Miller’s echoed words and her own thoughts. She shoved her anxiety and pain to the back of her mind - locking it away forever and hoping it wouldn’t eat her from the inside like everything else. She would continue. As she always would.

Keeping her eyes and ears open for anything lurking around, she shrugged off her jacket and set it to the side. Then, she removed her ruined camisole and used it to wipe the dirt and blood from her face and torso. As she did her best to clean up and keep her mind off of where the copper scent originated from, she analyzed the forest. There was nothing but the bush ahead, extending as far as the eye could see. But as she spent more time sitting there, taking more notice of the area, she was spotting more signs of disturbances; twigs were snapped and hanging from branches, small areas of grass were flattened and dry leaves were turned over or crushed like something had stepped over them.

Wiping the cloth over her neck, she eyed the trail of marks that expectantly led farther away and into the distance - the remnants of something or _someone_ passing through. Tucking the new reformed rag into her belt, she slipped her arms back into her cool jacket and zipped it up, her gaze instantly dropping to see her hand was still stained a light shade of red - almost like a residue. She frowned. She would need to wash them off at the nearest river.

The image of her hands coated in a shiny, red liquid flashed before her eyes. She quickly dismissed it with a shake of her head.

Rising to her feet, Eve brushed the dirt off her trousers and then leaned down to pick up her weapons. She placed them in their appropriate hiding spots and with a deep breath, she excised any lingering self-doubting thoughts before making her way through the forest to follow the track marks. Hoping to God that they would lead to Jasper. She would return to camp but only with him, dead or alive.

oOo

Another footprint in the soil led her east and she was happy to see that less trails of blood were appearing. The farther the trail went, the less amount of crimson liquid she had to take notice of. At first, the traces of the blood that she presumed were Jasper’s were dropped every few meters but now it was rare and minimal. Meaning he wasn’t bleeding to death.

The only explanation she could think of for the mysterious clotting was that either the spear was left in his chest or the wound had been covered, maybe even sealed.

But why would they do that? Why keep him alive? And if they wanted him alive, why move him?

Had they taken him somewhere to be treated?

Eve scoffed at the thought. Hospitality wasn’t something they were familiar with, she was sure of it. She followed the tracks until she heard the low, rushing sound of a nearby stream. She frowned. If the Grounders decided to follow the stream, then she would lose their tracks. It could take her hours to find it again. Grumbling, she continued towards the small water, feeling at least thankful for the opportunity to wash off properly and maybe even clean the bandage around her ankle. Her leg hadn’t felt any better since Clarke last checked it but it didn't feel worse, thankfully. She was nearly to the water when the hairs on the back her neck stood at the sound of voices.

She immediately dropped, crouching behind the bushes and listened, her hand already buried into her jacket to retrieve the loaded pistol. The voices grew louder and their heavy footsteps grew closer, making her grip tighten around her weapon as they did. As much as she tried to ignore it, the anxiety of being in another bloody confrontation was gnawing at her. Would she need to kill more people? So soon?

“It’s called cutting-sign. Fourth year Earth Skills. He’s good,” a male voice said and a relieved, giant grin spread across Eve’s smudged face as she heard Wells’s smooth voice resonating from the small group. And the weight on her shoulders lifted heavenly as Spacewalker’s appeared as well, warning the others to keep it down.

_Oh, thank God._

Without another thought, she rose to her feet and urgently made her way to them, ignoring the annoying sore in her leg. She was much too excited to see them and with their help, they would surely find Jasper.

 _And_ she would hold off on ripping Wells a new one for coming out here when it was clearly too dangerous.

  
In hindsight, she should've made her presence known by calling out to them or something before appearing out of the bushes, disheveled and frantic. But instead she found herself standing there, boots in the water after having almost tripped over herself as a gun was instantly lifted and pointed at her head.

She didn’t have to look at them to know who it was. Only one person had that kind of quickdraw.

Slowly, she lifted her hands in surrender, hoping the slight tinge of red of them wouldn't be noticed. Behind the firmly held gun, he stood tall, almost as tall as Wells. His dark hair was no longer slicked back but ruffled over his forehead and the stolen guard’s uniform had been replaced with a dark blue fitting jacket and shirt. He held the weapon steady as he was trained to. His dark eyebrows were furrowed deeply as his good eye looked through the iron sights, his strong jaw remaining relentlessly clenched. He gave no indication that he wouldn’t put a bullet between her eyes.

  
And for a moment, she thought he would.

  
Swallowing hard, she held her hands in sight reassuringly. “Bellamy,” she acknowledged him with the most non-threatening voice she could muster.

* * *

**Thanks for reading!**


	7. Lead the Way

In hindsight, she should’ve accounted for _everyone_ in the group instead of the few she managed to hear. At least then she wouldn't have found herself with her hands at either side of her head, facing the barrel end of a worn-looking pistol, with an awkward smile on her face.

Eve gulped, her smile fading as an odd feeling of anxiety and relief twisted in her stomach as Bellamy held the firearm without the slightest quiver or sign of uncertainty, head tilted to side and one eye closed to have the other lined with his iron sights. She was thankful that, at least, it hadn’t been some amateur holding her at gunpoint, knowing that a twitchy finger would have ended her existence at the first sound of her abrupt approach but she wasn’t all thrilled to see it was _he_ who held her at mercy.

If he so wished it, he could shoot her clean between the eyes and her hand would’ve never been even close to reaching her own pistol before the bullet found a home within her skull.

If he so wished it.

Instead, at the sound of his name, Bellamy’s right eye popped open, his neck straightening and shoulders lowering as his eyes slowly widened.

She couldn’t help but shift under his gaze. A mixture of confusion and shock was plastered across his handsome face as his eyes cautiously dragged down her figure, reminding her of her disheveled state. She looked dirty - _felt_ dirty, in more ways than one and the faint smudges of grime from face-planting onto the ground were still smeared across her cheeks; her meticulous hair was now a rat’s nest of tangles and her only set of clothes were stained with dirt and dry blood.

She hoped nobody would notice that last part.

Bellamy’s lips parted and her back suddenly stiffened, realizing he was going to say something to her and the thought of dashing into the nearby bush and darting off crossed her mind.

“Marie!”

Clarke’s voice cut through the air instead of his gruff one and his mouth snapped shut once Clarke began making her way downstream, her boots pitter-pattering over the small rocks. She stopped next to Bellamy, turning to him with a pointed look and then shoved his arms down with one swift downward swipe of her arm.

“She’s with us,” she declared, the quick glare of his eyes bouncing right off her serious expression. Scrunching her nose at him, she turned away with a flip of her hair that almost smacked him across the face and continued on until she stood in front Eve with a bright smile. “You’re alive!” she said.

Eve held back a smirk as she tried not to enjoy watching Bellamy as he stowed his gun away into the back of his waistband with a very annoyed look on his face, his glare remaining on Clarke before flicking to her. It seemed that Dr. Griffin’s daughter had been giving him a run for his money as well

“Well, don’t sound so surprised.” Eve turned to her with a quirked eyebrow, burying her cold hands in her pockets.

Clarke’s pearly smile dropped. “We thought you were hurt,” she said harshly. “Or worse… dead! We found...” Her voice trailed off and she swallowed hard, before looking to the group with a wary expression. No one said a word.

“What?” asked Eve, her voice sounding more demanding than she expected. “What did you find?”

After a moment, Clarke leaned forward, her voice now lowered as if saying the words too loudly would scare off the others. “We found blood... _a lot_ of blood on the way here.”

Eve’s face fell, the weight on her shoulders becoming ever so heavier. “Jasper?” she asked in a low voice, knowing full well the answer but still waited for it. Clarke confirmed with a small nod.

Her jaw clenched as the image of the old log flashed across her eyes, remembering how much blood he had already lost. If he wasn’t dead yet, he would be soon.

Taking a deep breath, Eve looked past Clarke and out into the forest, some part of her hoping she’d miraculously spot him nearby. Perhaps just lounging around and not bleeding to death. From the looks of the set of tracks she followed, the grounders had travelled to and fro meaning they must’ve carried the boy and then dropped him off.

Somewhere.

_But why bring him all the way out here?_

The sound of heavy footsteps caught her attention and she turned her head to see if it was Bellamy deciding to confront her. Instead, her eyebrows furrowed as Wells stopped next to Clarke, his expression remaining neutral until she sent him a glare. He merely sighed, knowing what was coming as Eve gave the same daggers to Clarke.

“You found blood on _your_ way here?” she repeated angrily, pointing at both of them. “What the hell are you doing _here_? You could’ve been hurt. You could’ve been killed!”

“We came to save you and Jasper,” Clarke shot back as-a-matter-of-factly and folded her arms across her chest. “The least you could do is be grateful.”  

Eve glared at Clarke so hard that it was a wonder that the girl didn’t combust into flames.

“We did,” Wells blurted, quickly stepping in between the two girls and her steely gaze flicked onto him, watching with irritation as he gave Clarke a _I’ll-take-care-of-this_ look. “And Finn found a trail leading that way.” He jerked his chin towards Collins who was standing idly behind Bellamy, still examining the nearby vegetation. “We think it's where they took him.”

Eve stared at Wells for a long while, seeing the wariness in his eyes as he waited for her response. If he was wondering whether she was going to scold him - _both_ of them, for the rest of their days then she would put his mind to rest.

“When we get back to camp, we are going to have a _serious_ conversation,” she said darkly, her eyes flicking between the both of them.

Clarke motioned to say something, surely to express her objection, but stopped when Wells turned his head and gave her a small shake of his head. She didn't realize it but they were getting off easy because Eve could always quite literally drag them back to camp. Fatigue be damned.

Clarke pulled back and Wells became more relaxed. He gave her a reassuring look and Eve needed to look away from the sight before she’d completely lose her nerve.

Just like his father, Wells always had a willingness and eagerness to help those in need and protect those he cared about. It was honorable… but it wasn’t any less annoying, especially when he placed himself in dangerous situations more than once for a certain blonde that he cared about. And it certainly didn’t make her job any easier. The longer the group was out in the open, the greater the risk became of them running into trouble and truthfully, she didn’t think she’d be able to protect Clarke and Wells in her condition - which in part was the reason for her ire.

Her body ached with every breath and her eyes felt heavier with every blink. The nausea in the pit of her stomach grew exponentially and she found herself more than once fighting the urge to gag. She needed food, water, and rest.

But most importantly, she needed to find Jasper. Dead or alive, and preferably soon...without _them_.

Eve found herself looking over to Bellamy who remained standing by, intently listening to their conversation with his arms folded tightly over his chest, his large biceps bulging through the dark sleeves. She sighed inwardly at the sight. He stood larger than most of the males - as always, especially the ones present and not to mention, he possessed a firearm that he knew how to put to good use. She hated to admit it but she actually needed him to continue the search.

“Who the hell is that?”

Everyone except Bellamy turned to see Murphy sauntering forward, a hand buried in his pocket while the other rested at his side with a loose grip on a metal shiv. He eyed her with a raised eyebrow and then stopped next to Bellamy to give him a querying glance.

Her breathing stilled as Bellamy’s eyes met hers, his expression unreadable. She didn't have to wait long as his only response was a careless shrug and ‘ _beats me.’_

Murphy turned back to look at her with a suspicious eyes, as if he were trying to place her somewhere in his memory and it worried her. If he recognized her, it would all be over. After all, she had been the one to sign off on his father’s arrest, as she had done to many others.

After a moment, he seem to come up with nothing as he simply shrugged and turned away to continue monitoring the nearby bushes.

Her eyes flicked from Murphy to Bellamy and she couldn't help but lightly shake her head in disapproval. Out of all people to bring, Bellamy chose _John Murphy_. He knew how she felt about the guy.

He glanced over his shoulder and then turned back to give her the same lazy shrug.

He didn't care.

If it benefitted him, he didn't care about the consequences. As always. It wasn't a surprise but she clenched her jaw anyways, burying her ire and decided against asking for his assistance to find Jasper. In fact, she decided to continue avoiding him all together again. She didn't need him. Not now, not ever.

A light tickle grazed over the bruise on the side of her face and Eve flinched back, swatting a delicate hand away.

Clarke scowled, placing her hand back at her side. “What happened?” she demanded.

That’s it. Losing all resolve, Eve opened her mouth to snap and order them all to return to the safety of camp before they ended up tied to a tree, or worse!

“What do you think?” Bellamy retorted, catching everyone’s attention. He appeared genuinely annoyed as he shrugged his shoulders at them. “Grounders,” he answered, as if it were the most obvious answer.

“You saw them?” Wells inquired, turning back to her with widened eyes.

“I-” Eve paused. She blinked as Wells and the others stared at her with bewilderment, waiting for a response that she struggled to articulate. She had been dreading this moment since it happened. It had been done in self-defense. She knew that. But then why couldn't she say it? “I did,” she replied honestly, hoping they wouldn’t pry further.

“Did they follow you?” It had been the gracious Collins to ask and Eve turned to see him standing behind Bellamy with a concerned expression, his shoulder-length hair still impeccably kept.

“No.” The word escaped her lips with a sharpness that she hadn’t meant but she also hadn’t appreciated the tone of his question. As if he wanted to know if she fucked up and led them there. “They’re gone and I escaped,” she assured with a finality in her words.

The answer seemed to satisfied the young man as his shoulders relaxed and he let out a small breath. He turned, examining the rocks on the ground as he walked away. Watching him leave, she caught Bellamy’s gaze again, his expression like stone as he stared back.

Marcus’s face came to mind. He would look at her in the same way whenever she did something he disapproved of but couldn't do anything besides sulk behind a stoic facade. That look, now, would’ve been endearing under different circumstances.

“Oh, my God, your arm,” exclaimed Clarke, clapping onto Eve’s arm and turning it to take a closer look at the gash near her shoulder. With a sharp hiss, Eve brusquely shrugged her off, shooting a glare her way that seemed to go right past Clarke’s blonde head. “That needs to be bandaged or it’ll get infected,” she warned.

“I know,” Eve said, pulling at her sleeve so the cloth wouldn’t cling to the wound. “I’ll take care of it when I get to camp. Right now… you need to go back. _All_ of you.” She directed to everyone with stern eyes.

“We’re not going back without Jasper.” Clarke declared, emphasizing her statement with a stubborn shake of her head.

Eve had to suppress a growl that rose from the depths of her chest, one that stemmed from irritation and weariness, as she painstakingly turned back to Clarke to see the young woman’s eyebrows furrowed and lips pressed into its usual defiant thin line. She was insufferable.

“Hey,” Collin’s voice cut through the palpable tension like butter and broke their stare-down as he caught Clarke’s attention. “Look at this,” he said, kneeling to touch the small rocks at his feet.

Clarke’s expression melted and was replaced by concern. Their confrontation was all but forgotten by the young blonde as she turned away and hurried over to Collin’s side to inquire about what he found.

Left to stare at empty space, Eve let out a quiet sigh as she massaged her eyes to rub out their heaviness. They weren’t going to listen to her, that much was clear. After all, how could they travel all the way out here and then just turn back for no reason? It was unreasonable. _She_ was being unreasonable.

 _Oh, I’m the one being unreasonable?_ Her inner voice disputed. _I almost died out here - twice!_

A small whisper of her name caught her attention and she took a sharp breath, straightening her back, having forgotten Wells was still standing nearby.  

“What?” she asked, clearing her throat.

“Clarke just wants to help.”

And there he was again, at Miss Griffin’s side, ready to protect her at all costs. She wondered what kind of lame explanation he could come up with for Clarke if she told him that none of this would’ve happened if Clarke had just listened to her warning yesterday. She could already hear him now - ‘ _she just wants to help,’ ‘she did what she thought was right,’ ‘give her a break, she’s doing her best.’_

Eve took another deep breath and pushed those thoughts aside, deciding to act like an adult. If she were to survive the day - or even the future, and still have her mind and dignity intact, she’d need to accept Clarke’s words: y _ou’re not in charge anymore._

“You’re right,” she decided to say, turning to him with a forced but pleasant smile _. “_ I’m just a little stressed. I’m glad to see you, really. Well…” She glanced a look from the corner of her eye. “Most of you.”

Wells frowned amd took a step closer. “Believe me,” he whispered to her. “I did _not_ want them to come. He’s got a gun and-”

“I know.” She knew full well whose idea it was to bring such company, especially one that had an actual weapon. A weapon that shouldn’t have been in their possession by any means. She let out a small breath and shrugged. “We’ll just have to deal with it when we get back, okay?”

Wells nodded, his eyes flicking over her shoulder and a small frown pulled at his lips. “Let’s go see what they found.”

Letting Wells pass her by, Eve rolled her shoulders back, relieving a bit of their tension and followed him. She quickly discovered the cause of Wells’s frown. Collins and Clarke were crouched low to examine something… and awfully close to one another. Chancing a look at Wells, she could see it was killing him inside.

Her pace slowed as they made to pass the tall, dark-haired young man standing a few feet away like a statue with arms still folded across his chest, his brown eyes watching them both like a hawk until they settled on her. She eyed him as he did her, the distance slowly growing smaller between them. Would he try to talk to her? What would she say when all she wanted to do was pretend he didn't exist.

“You got a problem?”

Eve paused in her step when Wells stopped to face Bellamy with a set of furrowed eyebrows and darkened eyes, clearly having seen the way he was looking at her and not liking it.

_Oh, no._

A smirk slowly curved at Bellamy’s thin lips as she subtly shook her head.

_Please don’t._

Her silent plea was futile as Bellamy simply shifted his feet to face Wells and greet him with the same smirk, ready to finish whatever Wells wanted to start. Giving Eve a quick glance, Bellamy licked his lips and then leaned in to Wells. “You sure you wanna do this, Jaha?” he said in a low voice.

Wells swallowed but to his credit, he stood his ground even when Murphy noticed and took a few steps closer behind him. What he said next she couldn’t hear as he spoke quietly but whatever it was made the smirk on Bellamy’s face instantly drop. His amused expression was instantly replaced by a darkened one; his eyes boring into Wells’s face and his jaw flexing under his cheek. He looked like he had every intent to crush the young man.

And as Bellamy took a small step closer to the Chancellor’s son, Eve reached into her jacket to find the handle of her pistol.

“You don’t know what the hell you’re talkin’ about,” said Bellamy in a dangerously low, gruff voice but loud enough for her to catch on. His head snapped towards her and she froze, her hand still around the gun. His eyes glanced down at her jacket, knowing what was there, and she expected him to be angry or feel threatened. She was ready for a fight of any sorts but instead, she was met by a sort of sadness as his eyes trailed back up to reach hers.

For a brief moment, he stared back at her with a frown that she didn't quite understand, and then lowered his gaze to the ground, his throat bobbing as he swallowed… before turning back to Wells with an warning look. “I suggest you start minding your own business, Jaha. Or next time I _will_ shoot you.”

Her jaw dropped but before she could make her way to them,  Bellamy stomped off to stand next to Murphy with arms still folded and a major crease now in between his eyebrows. Eve quickly approached Wells to ask if he was okay but to mainly find out what the hell was that when Clarke called her over.

Pursing her lips, she gave him a pointed look as a way to remind him to stay out of trouble and then made her way to crouch next to Clarke.

She honestly didn't know what to do other than seriously lock him _and_ Clarke up in the dropship until the Ark landed because at their current rate of picking fights and wandering into dangerous territories…  they would be dead by the end of the week.

Or at least, she would be.

Leaning closer to Clarke, Eve caught sight of blood smeared between the tips of Collins’s pointer finger and thumb and relief washed over her. It was a dab of blood and seeing as it was still liquid, it meant Jasper couldn’t have been in the area more than half an hour before them.

He was close. Very close.

A distant moan reverberated nearby that caught the group’s attention. Clarke and Collins quickly rose to their feet, heads turning to the direction of the sound.  

“What the hell was that?” Murphy asked nervously, his grip tightening around his shiv as he looked over his shoulder.

“ _Now_ would be good time to take out that gun,” Clarke said, still staring off into the forest before turning to Eve with an expectant look.

With a sharp pull and release, Eve loaded her weapon and met Clarke’s height, and then some, turning to her with a small yet confirming nod. Whatever waited for them up ahead she was ready for.

“Where the hell did she get a gun?”

“Keep it down,” Bellamy snapped, shooting Murphy a dirty look and any intent of continuing his whining disappeared behind Murphy’s pale face as he shifted uncomfortably. He took one last glance at Eve’s pistol and then turned away to grumble under his breath.

Eve couldn’t stop the corners of her mouth quirk up at the idea of Murphy pouting because he didn’t get a toy, too. But the small smile quickly faded. She chanced a glance at Bellamy and was met by a set of serious eyes that held every sense of authority, the kind that could silence someone of the likes of John Murphy.

The motion was subtle, almost discernible, but with a small dip of his head, Bellamy gave her a nod.

She swallowed hard as she realized _he_ was in charge.

“Can you walk?” Clarke asked, catching her attention.

Eve blinked, settling her nerves, and then answered with a firm nod.

“I’ll lead,” Eve said, managing an even tone. “Stay close behind me and don’t get separated.”

Clarke nodded back, turning to the forest with a set jaw. Eve did the same and just as she took a step forward, so did Bellamy, cutting her off.

“No,” he said firmly and with a tone that left little room for objection. “ _I’ll_ lead. You’ll cover our six with Murphy.” He jerked his chin towards the back of the group.

Her brows furrowed, lips parting to protest, but before she could say anything, he had already disappeared into the forest, gun in hand and leaving the large leaves of the shrub to swing in his wake. Clarke offered her a wary glance but then quickly followed suit along with Collins, clearly not wanting to waste any time in finding the source of the sound. Watching them leave, Eve held back a annoyed growl and then fell into step behind Wells as he dashed forward.

Bellamy was in charge, alright. And it was clear that he’d make sure she knew that.

It was a grueling few hundred meters until the group finally came to a halt. Eve nearly collided into Wells’s back but she managed to step out to the side, only to bend over slightly as she tried to take subtle deep breaths. Her chest was on fire and her head felt as if it were going to explode at any moment.

And to think she wanted to do this alone. _Oh, pride. Thou art a bitch._

Once she managed to get some air, she ignored Murphy’s inquiring stare and limped away to stand next to Wells, not at all interested in interacting with Murphy unless it involved pumpelling him into the dirt.

“What is it?” she whispered to Wells. He didn’t answer and only remained frozen with a shocked look on his face. She turned to see what he was gawking at and instantly, the same expression washed over her own face. Her jaw became slack and eyes widened when her gaze landed on the large, mangled tree in the middle of the field before them - a shirtless Jasper crudely tied to it. His wrists were bound to a large branch over his head and his thighs were roped around the bark of the tree, leaving him in an awkward and uncomfortable position. The low sounds of his groans and moans sent a pang to her chest. She could hear the agony in his weak voice and at the sound of it, she snapped out of her mild shock as did the others.

Clarke was already stomping her way towards him. “Jasper,” she exhaled with a quiver in her voice. “Oh, my God, Jasper!”

The blood rushed back to Eve’s brain and she panicked as everyone quickly moved forward… into an area that had yet to be thoroughly cleared. The bushes and trees were tall, taller than anyone in the group and the field spanned for a quarter of a mile. Anything could be hiding in the underbrush, waiting to leap out and attack. Her eyes darted in every direction to scan the field, limping forward to keep up with them as they continued with an impetuous eagerness.

“Wait. Wait, Clarke,” she urged, trying to keep her voice down to avoid any unwanted attention. “We haven’t cleared the area! It’s not-”

It was too late as Clark’s yelp reverberated across the grassy field, the ground beneath the girl’s feet crumbling and sending her falling into a giant hole.

Eve came to a dead halt. A cold paralysis froze her limbs in place. She commanded her legs to move, to run to Clarke and save her, but they wouldn’t and she could only stare with widened, horrified eyes as Bellamy remained leaned over the edge of the deep pit.

No one moved for a long time, their breaths caught in their throats as they all thought the same thing. But when Bellamy didn’t move, his outstretched arm trembling under strain, Eve spoke. She said the words so softly and quietly that she wasn’t sure if they’d actually left her lips.

“He caught her.”

And with that, Wells was gone in a second as if the words had been a shot to the start of a race. He shouted urgently at Bellamy to pull her up but it was Collins and Murphy to be the first to arrive and they dropped to either side of Bellamy, reaching down to help pull Clarke out from the pit, while Wells assisted Bellamy to his feet.

Finally regaining control of her limbs as relief swelled over her, Eve stalked towards the group, eyeing the area for any nearby movement. She arrived just in time to see Clarke being dragged out of the hole and onto the grass, a small smile crossing Eve’s face as the girl looked completely unharmed and unscathed, though rather rattled. She was okay. All thanks to...

Her gaze dragged away from Clarke to look at Bellamy who was still collecting himself, dusting the dry grass from his knees… while Wells inconspicuously snatched the pistol from his waistband. The Chancellor’s son stepped back to swiftly stow the weapon away, careful to not seem suspicious as everyone rose to their feet and traded wary looks.

Eve blinked and when Wells notched her, he gave her a nod as if he were doing something she wanted. Normally, she wouldn’t have approved of the action, not in the least. Disarming someone, _anyone_ , without their knowledge was a shitty thing to do and Bellamy had just saved his friend’s life, had he not?

It all left a bad taste in her mouth but she nodded back nonetheless. Under different circumstances, she would’ve torn Wells a new one for it but she needed it. If Bellamy truly was in charge now, then she would need every advantage she could muster.

With Collins’s help, Clarke rose to her feet, dusting the flakes of grass from her clothes, and without another beat, she looked up to return her gaze to the only thing that mattered at the moment.

“We need to get him down,” she declared, her eyes locked on Jasper.

“I’ll climb up and cut the lines,” Collins offered before making his way around the pit to the tree.

“Yeah, yeah. I’m with you,” Wells added offhandedly as he stared up at the tree, motioning to follow.

“No,” Collins blurted, echoing Eve’s thought. “Stay with Clarke and Eve… and watch him.” He gave Bellamy a wary glance before his eyes landed on Murphy, jerking his chin at him. “You, come with me.”

Murphy didn’t move right away, instead turning to Bellamy with a awkward expression, clearly not at all interested in taking orders from Collins. After a moment, Bellamy gave him a subtle nod and with much reluctance, Murphy followed after Collins to help.

 _And watch him?_ Eve thought to herself, watching Murphy walk off before settling her inquiring gaze on Bellamy, his back still facing her. She understood why _she_ didn't trust him but why didn't the others? Sure, he was an instigator and an asshole but that didn’t warrant the caution in their eyes. Or the constant need to keep some distance from him as he were contagious; something she noticed suddenly as Clarke began to take small steps away from him, eyeing him hesitantly as she did.

As if hearing her thoughts, Bellamy’s head turned to the side ever so slightly to catch a glimpse of her over his shoulder and it made her more suspicious…

_What did you do?_

“There’s a poultice on his wound,” Clarke pointed out.

Bellamy turned away and Eve hoped he could feel her glare burning into the back of his skull.

“Medicine?” Wells suggested.

Taking a few steps back to settle next to Wells, Eve glanced a look over her shoulder to see the points of the large spears protruding from the pit; the ones that would’ve impaled Clarke and ruined the entire mission if it hadn’t been for someone’s quick reflexes.

“Why would they save his life just to string him up as live bait?” Wells’s question dragged her from her thoughts and she realized she had been staring at Bellamy when he turned his head to look at Wells. She managed to avert her eyes in time, clearing her throat as she turned to look straight ahead at really nothing in particular.

“Maybe what they’re trying to catch likes his dinner to be breathing..,” Bellamy answered, his voice trailing off at the end and she knew she had been caught looking. She silently scolded herself, telling herself that saving Clarke’s life didn’t change a thing. Not one bit.

“Maybe what they’re trying to catch is us,” Finn remarked.

A solemn silence washed over the group. Clarke shifted uncomfortably, her gaze dropping to the hole as his words rang true to her and Bellamy’s body stiffened, his back immediately straightening as his eyes began to search the field

Eve looked up at Jasper and the memory of being tied against a tree like him, though not as crudely, flickered across her eyes.

_They weren’t._

Heads turned in her direction and after a moment, she realized the thought had slipped through her lips.

Shifting her feet, Eve cleared her throat. “They weren’t,” she reiterated. “Otherwise, they would’ve been waiting. Here.” She raised her hand to gesture to the field. “...to ambush us.”

 _Not a quarter mile away_ … _lying dead in the dirt_.

Wary eyes trailed over the large space around them, everyone’s except Bellamy’s as his landed on her extended wrist. He stared at the harsh, red rings embedded in her skin with an impassive expression until his eyes flicked up to her face, his brow wrinkling with concern. Her eyes narrowed on him. He dared to stand there and act as if he were actually concerned? As if he wouldn’t throw her to the wolves at the first chance he needed?

Noticing the sharp look on her face, Bellamy let out a small sigh, a muscle ticking under his cheek.He looked frustrated, though, she didn't understand why. After all, he wasn't the one strung up on a tree as bait.

Dropping her arm to pull her sleeve back over the abrasions, Eve looked away and returned to hold the pistol steadily between her hands.

“You said they were gone,” Murphy said over his shoulder, his hand gripping the vines lining the tree trunk. “Gone where? Because if they’re planning on coming back anytime soon, then I say we get the hell outta here before we end up like kabobs, too.”

“We leave with Jasper or not at all,” Clarke growled, shooting Murphy a warning glare.

“Oh, yeah?” Murphy challenged, quirking an eyebrow. His foot dropped suddenly from the tree and back onto the ground, his body turning to face her.

“Enough,” Bellamy huffed, making Murphy stop. “Less talking, more working.”

There was a warning tone in Bellamy’s voice but that didn't stop Murphy from shooting a dirty look at Clarke before returning to the tree. Grumbling under his breath, he heaved himself up until he found a spot hovering over Jasper to begin cutting the ropes around his wrists.

Clarke met Bellamy’s gaze. She stared at him warily for a moment before giving him a small nod of gratitude which he returned for the sake of being amicable. Then, she stepped away to find a spot near to the tree, her neck craning to watch the boys’ progress. Wells followed, as did Eve, leaving Bellamy to stare after them… but he wasn’t watching Clarke or Wells.

“Marie.”

Eve stopped, her skin crawling at the sound of her middle name leaving his lips. Wells had stopped as well, his eyes glancing from her to Bellamy with an apprehensive look that mirrored her own. Nonetheless, she turned around.

“It’s Marie, right?” Bellamy asked, furrowing his brows as if he truly didn’t know.

“Right,” she replied coolly, not missing the amusement in his tone.

A small smile stretched across his lips. “Well,” he continued, his brown eyes roving nonchalantly over the nearby underbrush. “Seein’ as we’re the only two people with guns and the princess almost _died_ … it’d be a good idea if we cleared the area,” His eyes found hers again and settled there. “Together.”

Eve swallowed hard at the thought of being alone with him. After a year of pretending like he never existed - which she was sure he had done too, she wasn’t too thrilled with the idea. Plus, he didn’t have a gun. Wells made sure of that. Going with him would expose that reality, another thing she wanted to avoid.

Bellamy waited, that devilish smirk creeping across his lips daring her to take the bait. She stared at him for a long time with narrowed eyes, wondering what game he was playing at.

“No, we shouldn’t split up like that,” Wells argued, stepping forward.

Bellamy’s eyes hardened and smile flattened. “No one asked you, Jaha.”

Wells shook his head, completely ignoring the death-stare he was receiving from someone who could very well snap his neck within a few seconds. “It’s too risky.”

“I agree,” Eve added, nodding as she did. “I’ll stand guard here. And you can take the _other_ side. That way we’ve got all sides covered.”

Eve couldn’t stop the corner of her mouth quirk up as Bellamy’s annoyed gaze trailed over to her, seemingly becoming more frustrated by every passing moment.

He stared at her for a long moment.

“Right,” Bellamy finally said. With a set jaw and an annoyed glance in Wells’s direction, he spun on his heel and walked away, leaving Eve with a small look of shock etched across her face. She watched as he made his way around the pit towards the other side of the tree trunk and then stop to watch Collins and Murphy cut at the ropes.

In the short time she had known Bellamy… before their falling out… she had never witnessed him yield. Not once. To anything or anyone. If he wanted something, he’d take it...work for it...

Her eyes narrowed again as he turned his head to look at her, a little too calmly for someone like him that wasn’t getting their way...

He was up to something… she could feel it.

oOo

Clarke watched Finn and Murphy cut at the ropes encasing Jasper while Wells and Eve stood to the side. He was updating her on the progress of their camp. They had formed a latrine, begun harvesting vegetation consisting of berries and herbs, and he left instructions to start building a wall for security. A grand relief to her ears.

“We found a water supply not too far from camp,” he continued. “So collecting it… won't be… a problem,” his voice trailed off as his eyes settled on her neckline.

Eve furrowed her brows. “What?” she asked.

Wells pressed his lips together and hesitantly pointed at her neck. “You’ve got… I think you’re bleeding.”

Her hand snapped up to touch her neck, instantly feeling wetness right under the collar of her jacket. Bringing her hand into view, bright red blood was smeared across her fingers, trailing down the lines in between them and, though the amount was small, her mind couldn’t help but recall how much had actually been there an hour ago.

The sight, the coppery scent… their faces… it made her stomach twist so hard she would have retched if she had anything to expel.

Hiding her disgust behind a pale complexion, she simply wiped it off against her thigh, ignoring Wells’s quiet look of concern. She zipped her jacket up to its limit, the fabric tightening uncomfortably around her neck, though it wasn't nearly as uncomfortable as the wetness under her collar.

“Are you okay?” he asked in a gentle voice. “If you need Clarke to-”

“It’s not mine,” she whispered a little too quickly, her head snapping to the side but avoiding his gaze. She didn't want to see it… the way he’d react when he’d put two-and-two together and realize what she had done… the way everyone looked at her everytime she did something like it.

She couldn’t. Not anymore.

There was silence on his part but she could still feel his eyes on her. She turned away and continued looking out into the distance, keeping watch for anything going bump in the bushes.

“Wanna talk about it?” he asked.

“No,” she replied, folding her arms across her chest. No, she didn't want to talk about how she was nearly raped and butchered on the second day on the ground. She just wanted to return to camp, get some sleep, and forget it ever happened. “Let's just get Jasper and get back to camp as soon as we can.”

Wells’s concerned gaze lingered on her a bit longer, clearly contemplating on prying if just for the sake of helping her, but he knew better. In the year that she had known him, after his father had decided to have his son trained in self-defense, as much as that seemed to be helping him so far, the answer to that question had remained the same. It wouldn’t change now. Not ever.

He spoke after a long while. “I didn’t want to bring this up until we got back..,” he said hesitantly, “But there’s something you should know.”

“What is it?”

“...wristbands are being removed.”

“What?!” she exclaimed, her head turning so hard that her stiff neck made a loud pop.

Wells nodded, regrettably. “They got mine.” He raised his arm to show the missing band of metal with the only thing in its place the two small pricks from the sensors.

“ _They_ ? Who’s _they_?”

With a small nod of his head, Wells pointed across the large pit towards the one person who had turned her world upside since day one. “Bellamy and his followers. He wants the Ark to think we’re dead so they won't come down. He's convinced everyone we don't need the Ark.” He shook his head. “It’s chaos.”

“How many?” she asked and when he didn't answer, she asked more forcefully, having a hard time contacting her anger. “ _How many?_ ”

“...twenty-four. Maybe more.”

Eve closed her eyes, letting that hit sink in. That was a quarter of the population and by the time they returned to camp, it could be half. Taking a calm breath, she opened her eyes. “Most of them still have them on,” she said, trying to remain calm amidst the nausea churning in her stomach. “Meaning they're not fully convinced. So, we’ll talk to them when we get back to camp.”

Yes, that’s what they would do and everything would be fine. The Ark would land sooner or later…

“Clarke and I’ve tried,” he said with a shake of his head. “They won't listen.”

“That's because they're angry. But after they see what happened to Jordan, they'll be scared and realize their only hopes of making it down here is the Ark.”

Wells sighed, running a hand over his head before dropping it at his side. His gaze trailed across the field for a moment and then turned to her with a exasperated gesture of his hand towards Bellamy. “And what about him? He's taken control of the camp and is letting people do _whatever the hell they want.”_

Since the moment Wells mentioned his activities, her eyes had remained on Bellamy, watching him as he observed Collins and Murphy work, his neck craned and arms folded across his chest.

He was a problem now… a _real_ problem, not just for her, but for everyone that dreamed of ever coming to the ground.

“I’ll take care of him,” she assured, straightening her back. “You just focus on watching your back… and Clarke’s.”

Wells didn't say a word but she could tell that he nodded after a moment and turned away to watch the others work.

Eve was still leering at Bellamy when his head turned and his brown eyes locked with hers. He stared back with an unreadable expression but she didn’t break eye contact. She just stared at him, thinking about what it would take it took to get rid of him. He was disarmed, thanks to Wells, but he was still strong, physically and politically. He had followers, people that shared his same views and if most of them were the older and stronger prisoners, then she would definitely be outpowered. She would need to get him alone, she decided, and either attempt to show him the error of his ways… or take him out.

Her chest tightened at the thought and her gaze broke away, not wanting anyone, especially him, to see the discomfort crawling up her spine.Maybe she could just lock him up, too, and no one else would have to die. It wouldn’t have to be violent.

No… she knew better. He would never go down without a fight. He would never surrender… but she still didn't want to kill him.

As Eve was thinking of ways to make him disappear without terminating him, a loud shuffling resonated from the forest. Everyone turned their heads to the open area behind the tree, eyeing the grass field.

“What the hell was that?” Murphy asked, turning his head at an awkward angle to look over his shoulder.

“Grounders?” Bellamy asked, dropping his arms and shifted in place to take a better look.

For the most part, the field was a golden landscape, the sun pouring over it like a warm blanket, but nearer to the tree remained a patch of large shrubbery that was too dark to fully observe.

With shoulders hunched forward and pistol held comfortably in her hand, Eve made her way past Clarke and Wells before coming to a stop in front of them, her eyes searching the darkness. Everything remained still, and for a moment she was going to declare it a false alarm until something emerged from the bushes a few hundred meters from where they stood.

A dark, slender figure on all fours stalked across the long grass, seemingly sniffing the air until it came to a stop, its bright yellow eyes locking on something a few meters to her left.

Eve turned her head and realized it was Bellamy. Her heart sank to the bottom of her stomach as the animal suddenly charged towards to him and she watched in horror as Bellamy reacted, reaching for his waistband only to feel an empty space where his gun had been.

“I-I,” he stammered, his face filled with panic as the animal’s snarls grew closer with every second.

He was unarmed and defenseless… because of what she let happen.

“Oh, my God,” Eve exhaled. “Bellamy, get back!”

He glanced at her and then did as she said, taking a few stumbling steps back before she raised her gun, and aimed at the empty space he had just occupied. Releasing a slow breath, she waited for a mere second before unleashing two bullets, their trajectory sending them into the beast’s side.

She missed. Rather than watching those bullets sink into its skull and render it useless, she watched as the beast let out an angry snarl, curling its body in pain, before darting into the nearby bushes.

“Wells, cover me,” she shouted to her left and then hastily limped her way over to Bellamy who was looking every which way at the bushes.

“Where is it?” she asked, aiming at the rustling leaves and branches until everything became still once again.

“... I think it’s gone,” Bellamy said after a moment.

Eve let out a breath, dropping her arms. With a relieved look on her face, she turned her head to the right to see Bellamy standing there with the same look, though, he seemed a bit more rattled. A wave of guilt washed over her at the sight, knowing he was almost mauled to death because of her.

But then again, wouldn't that have solved all her problems?

The guilt grew tenfold as Bellamy gave her a cautious smile as if he tried one any bigger she would shoot him right then and there. And though it hadn’t been much… it still made her stomach flutter.

And it made her angry, at herself for still being so stupid.

With a simple and curt nod, she returned the gesture, not paying any mind that his smile disappeared and then was replaced by a frown. Eve cringed when he motioned to say something.  

A shuffling sound emerged behind her and within a moment, she heard Clarke shout while a loud roar exploded from her left. Eve managed to catch only a glimpse of large, white teeth and extracted claws aiming for her face before a warmth enveloped her from behind and then she was swiftly turned to face away.

A tandem of gunshots blasted through the air followed by a loud, hefty thump at her feet that sent dust over her boots.

Her heart was pounding furiously against her chest as it worked desperately to send blood to her tired brain and limbs. Her ears were ringing and she couldn't breathe. For a moment she thought she was going to keel over and pass out.

After long moment passed, and all had become still as it had been just mere minutes ago, a low and soothing voice reached her ear and she held onto it like a lifeline. “Hey… you’re okay. Everything okay.”

It continued to offer soothing words until her breathing slowed and the ringing in her ears faded away. Dropping her heavy head, she saw a pair of strong arms in dark blue sleeves wrapped around her midsection, holding her steady. Her head languidly tilted up and to the side to find Bellamy leaning over her, his deep brown eyes staring back at her with slightly furrowed eyebrows.

God, he was still as handsome as ever.

She blinked at thought and just stared back him, slowly coming to realize he had shielded her with his own body.

Not able to think much of anything at the moment, she allowed his scent to fill her mind. He smelled of smoke, wet grass and fresh woods - things she had quickly familiarized herself with since landing… but underneath it all, she caught a hint of something else… a gentle scent she knew from before. One that would make her weak in the knees, that made her feel safe and warm... one that would cling to her and her clothes every time they-

_Stop. Don’t go there._

“I’ve got you,” his voice appeared again, though it was softer and quieter that time. She could’ve sworn that his arms briefly tightened around her before he stepped back, taking the warmth with him.

She suddenly felt cold.

Blinking a few times to collect herself, Eve cleared her throat and then turned on her heel, glancing at Bellamy to see his expression back to its usually look of annoyance. She averted her gaze and find a wide-eyed look of shock on Clarke and Wells’s face. The latter held a gun at his side, eyes fixed on the dead animal before they trailed to her.

“Good shot,” she said, cringing at the small crack of her voice. Wells nodded, his breathing beginning to settle just as hers had. Her gaze drifted to the beast that sprawled across the dirt. She cautiously approached it.

“Careful,” Clarke warned when Eve stopped near its head. “It could still be alive.”

Giving its shoulder a hard nudge with her boot, it moved the slightest but remained dead, very dead.

“It’s dead,” Eve confirmed and once she had Clarke’s nod of approval, she crouched to take a closer look. Though, she only stared at the thing, doing her best to rid herself of the butterflies fluttering in her stomach.

“Looks like we solved our food problem,” Bellamy said, watching Eve as she ran her hand over the animal’s dark coat, before turning away to look at Wells with a scowl. “I’d like my gun back now.”

Wells’s head dropped to look at the weapon in his hand and after a moment, he raised it in front of him, letting it dangle by one finger. “You want it? Take it,” he taunted.

Eve’s head snapped up, eyebrows raised in surprise. She looked over to see Bellamy’s expression darkened, his eyes narrowing onto Wells. He took a step towards him but stopped when Eve swiftly stood from her crouch, gun in hand as her own gaze settled on him.

His eyes landed on the pistol and then he released a heavy sigh. “You know what? Keep it. You’re a better shot anyway,” he said with an irritated expression before turning away to tell the boys to hurry the hell up.

She smirked, knowing she had gained the advantage.

But of what exactly? Considering he had just protected her… not long after she had done the same…

 _Doesn't change a thing_ , she reminded herself.

oOo

“Are you guys gonna stand around all day or are you gonna help?” Wells asked, annoyed as he approached the two young men who had remained to the side, talking about who-knows-what while the rest of the group worked on bagging up the giant panther.

Bellamy looked over his shoulder, sparing a glance at Wells before his gaze flicked to Eve who was unfurling the parachute that Clarke had thankfully brought along. He shifted his feet to face the group and with a nod of his chin he ordered Murphy forward.

“Murphy’s going to help you take them back,” he said.

Wells watched Murphy suspiciously as he sauntered away with a sly smirk plastered on his pale face. “What're you gonna do?” Wells asked with an equally suspicious look as he turned back to the older boy.

From where she stood and glancing ever so often, Eve could see Bellamy’s jaw clench at the question, not liking the tone in Wells voice as if he was requiring him to answer. And if there was something that Bellamy truly hated, it was being spoken to like a lackey.

For a moment, it seemed he was going to tell the Chancellor’s son to go float himself but decided against it as his gaze flicked to her. And if that hadn't made her feel on edge, the smile pulling at the edges of his lips did.

“ _Marie_ ,” he said loud and clear. “Is gonna lead me to the Grounders.”

Her back stiffened as the blood quickly drained from her face and she slowly looked up to see everyone now staring at her with confused and slightly terrified faces. She narrowed her eyes at Bellamy, mentally cursing his existence.

“But they’re gone,” Wells reminded him.

“Good thing she’s a tracker then.” And with that, he brushed passed Wells’s shoulder and headed towards Eve, seeming very pleased with himself.

“No,” Clarke protested, rising to her full height as she stood between Collins and Eve. “It’s too dangerous.”

“Agreed,” added Collins as he, too, rose to his feet, folding his arms across his chest. He returned a small, supportive nod to Clarke as she gave him an appreciate smile while Wells shifted uncomfortably from where he remained.

Bellamy rolled his eyes and didn't bother to hide the annoyance in his voice. “Look, we need to see what we’re dealing with down here. This could be our only chance.”

“We don't have time for this,” Clarke exclaimed and gestured to the unconscious boy that they had spent an hour cutting down. Well, that Collins and Murphy had spent cutting down. “Jasper needs to be taken back to camp. He needs medical attention.”

“ _Like I said_ ,” Bellamy said pointedly. “Murphy will help you with that.”

“No!” Clarke stomped forward until she was standing face-to-face to him. “We stick together.”

He glared down at her, his jaw clenching tightly. “You know what, princess? You’re really starting to piss me off.”

She managed to stumbled back as he suddenly took a few steps forward, his arms dropping to his sides.

The air instantly shifted when Murphy produced his shiv the moment Collins and Wells motioned to approach his boss and Clarke. They stopped in their tracks, glancing warily between the other two and Bellamy’s minion. A blood thirsty grin stretched across Murphy's flat face as he eyed the Chancellor’s son, twirling the shiv in his hand as he waited for the other shoe to drop.

Eve sighed, seeing that none of it was going to end well unless she did what he wanted.

One way or another, he’d get his way.

“He’s right,” she said loud enough for everyone to hear. She didn't bother looking up to know they had all turned their heads to look at her. “The more we know about these people, the better prepared we are,” she added for good measure but seemed to go past Clarke’s head.

“It’s too dangerous out here,” the blonde insisted.

“Clarke.” Eve’s eyes flicked up to the young woman, holding her gaze until she glanced to Bellamy, making it clear to Clarke that it was best to agree lest they all end up in a brawl that no one wanted. Well, besides Murphy.

It took her a moment but she understood. Glancing around apprehensively, Clarke walked over to Eve, a concerned look in her eyes. “Are you sure?” she whispered.

“Yeah,” Eve said with a light shrug. “We’ll head back before it gets dark. I promise.”

Clarke pursed her lips and then nodded. “Okay.” She glanced over her shoulder. “Be careful…”

Eve nodded, knowing she wasn’t referring to just the grounders or man-eating animals.  As Clarke returned to Collins side to continue collecting their dinner, Eve stepped away to the side and called Wells over, eyeing Bellamy as he waited patiently a few meters away.

“This is a bad idea,” Wells said. “What if they come back?”

“They won’t,” she assured, offhandedly, as her hand fumbled around in her jacket, still keeping an eye out to make sure Bellamy was still at a distance. When she finally managed to retrieve her gun, she proceeded to released the magazine, letting it fall into her other hand.

“You don’t know that.”

“Actually, I do,” she snapped, her hands immediately stiffening at the harshness in her voice. Taking a small breath, she stopped what she was doing and lifted her head to look at Wells, who seemed a bit confused. Apparently, he hadn’t put two-and-two together.

“Because I killed them,” she clarified, keeping her expression neutral. “Their bodies are still there. He knows that.”

Wells eyes widened to the size of saucers. “How?” he asked.

She sighed. “Blake’s smarter than he looks.”

A frown pulled at his lips and then something akin to pity washed over him. If he had been anyone else, she would’ve knocked that look right off his face. She would rather dip her hand into a bucket of antifreeze than watch someone pity her.

“I’m sorry you had to do that,” he offered.

“Yeah, me, too,” she replied, not wanting to dwell on it. “Here, take these.” Holding out her hand, she offered him half of her ammunition. “And watch your back out there.”

Wells stared at the bullets for a moment before he lifted his head. “Eve,” he said in a concerned voice. “You shouldn’t be alone with him. What if he… what if he tries something? To get your wristband.”

“I’ll be fine,” she dismissed the concern as she looked over his shoulder to see the person in question coming their way. She grabbed Wells’s hand and hastily shoved the bullets into it, curling his fingers, and placed his hand at his side.

“He’s _dangerous…_ ”

“He won’t hurt me,” she assured quickly and Wells stared at her like she had grown a second head. “At least not while he thinks I’m armed.” Returning the gun to its holster, she pulled down at the ends of her jacket, wincing at the sharp sting in her arm.  “Make sure the group gets back to camp safely.”

On that endnote, Bellamy appeared next to them, his weight shifting to one leg as he looked between the two before saying, “We should head out now. Before we lose any more daylight.”

He ignored Wells’s scowl and kept his eyes on her, waiting patiently as she glanced back at him with a hesitant look. He stood straight and tall, his fully awake gaze taunting her as his energy to continue seeped off him. It made her feel more defeated by the second. She truly hoped he wouldn’t try anything once they were alone.

“Alright,” she exhaled. “It’s not far.”

Giving Wells once last look that he frowned at, she jerked her head to the side, signaling Bellamy to follow, and turned on her heel to make their way westward. It wasn’t long before the air shifted around her and Bellamy fell into step next to her, his head turning towards her.

“So are you and Jaha a thing now?” he asked curiously.

She didn't answer, finding solace in the sounds of grass being mercilessly crushed under her boots.

“Well, it's probably none of my business,” he continued. “But I think you should know he’s in love with someone else.”

Eve stopped, her teeth grinding together, and then turned to meet his taunting smile with dagger in her eyes.

“Remember,” she said with a quirked eyebrow. “I'm have a gun. You, don’t.”

She watched with annoyance as Bellamy’s brown eyes slowly trailed down her figure, stopping at her injured leg, before finding her face again. A smirk stretched across his tanned face.

“Sorry,” he offered, calmly raising his hands in surrender and began drifting away until he was walking backwards. “Just lookin’ out for you.”

She would’ve scoffed in his face if she wasn’t busy glaring at him with menacing eyes until he spun on his heel and continued on their path, her gaze now burning into his skull.

Taking a deep breath, Eve pushed forward, ignoring the pain in her leg, sting of her arm, and every other shitty thing she was feeling. She looked over shoulder to see the others preparing to leave; Jasper’s arms and weight supported by Clarke and Collins’s shoulders while Wells and Murphy lifted a pole onto their shoulders to carry the parachute-wrapped panther.

A bad feeling began to settle in her gut and she suddenly regretted her decision to separate from the group.

* * *

  **A/N: Thanks for reading!**


	8. Calm Before the Storm

The two walked in silence for some time. Bellamy trailed behind her a couple of feet away while she led them through the trees. Flickers of sunlight passed through the canopy above and the shifting of leaves casted dancing shadows across the forest floor. The dread in her chest grew stronger with each heavy step as they continued towards the last place she wanted to be, with the last person she ever wanted to be near. But his insistence and near showdown with Clarke didn't leave her with much of a choice. So, she dealt with the pain in her leg, the stinging in her arm, and the ever-growing headache throbbing against the walls of her skull - wishing, with mild desperation, for a shower.

Releasing a heavy sigh, she dragged her clammy fingers through her dark hair to comb it away from her face, only to frown when the strands swung back into their original position. She huffed, and added a hairbrush to her long list of wishes. Trying once again, she inclined her head back to shake the strands away, and then leaned to the side to twist her hair into one, mangled tail.

Catching movement from the corner of her eye, she turned her head to see Bellamy nearer now, eyeing her with a faint crease between his eyebrows. With a light sigh and roll of her eyes, she abandoned her mission, releasing the tangled tail and looked forward. For most of their journey since leaving the group, he kept his gaze on his own path, but at some point he began glancing over at her ever so often until the conspicuous behavior became plain, unbridled staring, and in parallel, her ignorance became annoyance. Did he want to say something? She thought. Because if he did, then she was all ears - though, she couldn’t guarantee the conversation would end well.

Pulling at her left sleeve, she peeked around a large, ridged tree to check for any lurking surprises. “What the hell you lookin’ at, Blake?” she demanded.

He remained unperturbed at the testy look she shot over her shoulder. “Someone who’s about to pass out,” he replied, his scrutinizing gaze trailing over her smudged face.

Eve snickered and turned away, amused by the truth in his words and the slight hint of concern in his voice. She wondered how long his thoughtful façade would last. Maybe until he secured her wristband?

“Don’t worry. I’ll get you to the Grounders before that happens.”

A short silence stretched between them before his voice appeared again, though more serious. “You haven’t slept… have you?”

Her smile flattened, her temper rising to a simmer beneath her skin at the hint of reproach in his question. First Clarke and now him? Would her time on the ground consist of nothing more than watching her back and being reprimanded by those younger than her? She could only imagine now how her _much older_ subordinates felt during her reign on the Ark.

“Well,” she replied in a clipped tone. “S _omeone_ had to look after your sister.”

Eve didn’t need to look to know he frowned at the statement. “I told her not to go,” he insisted. “She wouldn’t listen.”

“So _instead_ , you let her go into the wilderness with five complete strangers?” She didn’t need a sibling to recognize the carelessness in his decision. She’d prefer to chew her own hand off before allowing Charlotte to leave camp without proper supervision.

“Actually… I didn’t.” Eve slowed her pace to look over her shoulder at him with an inquiring expression and he smirked at her, letting his brown-eyed gaze trail out to the trees. “C’mon,” he drawled. “You really think I didn’t notice you hiding back there?” - he jerked his cleft chin towards the camp’s direction, and grinned when her eyes narrowed on him - “plus, did you _really_ think I’d allow _my_ little sister to come out here if I didn’t think she’d be safe?”

He quirked a taunting, dark eyebrow at her and she used what little patience she had left to turn away and not punch him in his handsome face. She continued walking at a steady pace, her gaze fixated on the grass-brittled ground, as a harrowing realization washed over her. He knew the whole time… meaning, for all she knew, her secret left his lips the second she left camp and a group of vengeful teenagers with pitchforks waited for her there. Her body tensed up and an emptiness settled in the pit of her stomach at the thought. What the hell would she do now?

The idea of implementing a distraction and then scurrying away into the woods to live apart from him and the others until the Ark arrived crossed her mind. But what about Clarke and Wells? What if the Ark didn’t land because those under aged morons continued to remove their wristbands and she let it happen?

And what about Charlotte? Would Clarke take care of her? Would _anyone_?

What she _should’ve_ done was let that giant cat eat him and take care of a major thorn in her side - but no… instead, she saved him. Why? Because she was a complete idiot! 

Taking a deep breath, Eve closed her eyes and exhaled. Berating herself wouldn’t do her any good and besides, she wouldn’t do such a thing. She wouldn’t allow someone to be mauled to death in front of her while she possessed the means to help, not matter how much she disliked them. She was bitter, not evil.

The memory of Bellamy’s expression crossed her mind and she shook her head. His look of horror when he realized the missing gun, realized he stood defenseless and afraid, would forever be engraved in her conscience. And she could still hear the softness of his voice against her ear as he soothed her out of her shock, after having shielded her with his own body.

The memory sent a shiver down her back.

 _Idiot_.

“Hey.”

A light pull tugged at the crook of her arm and she saw his hand for a split second before it retracted. With a sharp glare, she made it clear that she did _not_ want to be touched.

“Relax,” he said, keeping his hand to the side. “I just want to say thank you. Octavia told me what you did for her. And I know you got hurt for it.” Pain flickered across his soft eyes but she didn't react, remaining indifferent. “If something had happened to her… ” He trailed off, his throat bobbing as an uncomfortable expression crossed his face. His head dipped, his jaw popping under his cheek, and when he looked back up at her, the corners of his mouth slid upward.

Maybe it was the slight shakiness in her limbs from working in overdrive or being on edge after the day’s events, but when he took a step forward, she flinched back, her heart nearly bursting through her chest. The smile dropped from his face and his shoulders slumped at the reaction. A cool breeze wafted between the two as they stared at each other, both in a state of mild disbelief. But she didn’t look away or take it back. Instead, she lifted her chin in defiance, wanting him see how wary his presence made her feel, how far the damaged reached. It’d hurt him, she knew.

“I’m not gonna hurt you,” he said after a long time, eyebrows furrowed and palms turning upward. “You know that… ”

She believed him… for a second. Her own hands flexed at her side and then her eyes met his. “Do I?” she asked.

Bellamy blinked, jaw slacking as a flash of offense and disbelief crossed his features. “Eve, I-” He paused, being at a loss for words. After a moment, he shook his head and sighed. “I know I can’t change what happened, but-”

“We don’t have time for this,” she blurted and then turned away to continue on their path. “We have to keep moving.”

Eve expected him to catch up, grab her by the arm and force her to talk to him but he didn’t. Instead, she heard him let out a heavy sigh and after a few seconds his heavy footsteps followed, though he remained at a farther distance this time. Swallowing the knot in her throat, she took a deep breath to sooth the tightness in her chest, her mind and body feeling heavier than before.

She didn’t think he would hurt her - well, she doubted he would _kill_ her. And if he tried something, she figured she could take him… but something within her believed otherwise. Afterall, he stood taller, stronger, and energized… he could overpower her at any moment…

But her fears… her _dread_ stemmed from something far more painful than physical distress. Something with the power to dismantle the mosaic of her shattered heart. And he nearly did by attempting to spit up some half-assed explanation or apology. He had a year to confront her, to tell her what she wanted to hear - oh, so desperately. But he didn't, he never showed at her door. So, she wouldn’t make it so easy for him. Not now, not ever.

oOo

Fighting back a yawn, Eve came to a stop to rub the palms of her hands against her tired eyes, making white spots burst in her vision. Dropping her hands, she took a deep breath and blinked a few times before lowering her gaze to continue following the depressions in the dirt she’d been tracking for the past ten minutes when she saw… nothing.

No tracks.

Her gaze trailed across the nearby area to examine the soil, the plants, the trees… and still nothing. A couple of blinks and eye rubs later and she still couldn’t will her eyes to focus. The forest floor became nothing more than a blank slab of foliage.

“What’s wrong?” Bellamy asked over his shoulder, coming to a stop after sauntering passed her a few meters. Worrying at her bottom lip, her hands flexed at her side as she continued to look for any unnatural disturbances in the soil and yet, came up with nothing. She might’ve as well been drunk, she thought. After a long silence, he stepped over to her, an eyebrow cocked as he glanced at the ground and then at her. “You lost it, didn’t you?”

“Just… just give me a second,” she said, her eyes darting every which way before ambling around, her hands holding her hair behind her ears as she leaned closer to examine the dirt. A minute passed before she found something. Crouching low, she brushed aside a set of fallen leaves to take a better look, only to realize her own boot print impressed into the dark soil… she’d crossed her own tracks in the midst of searching. _Wow._ Sighing, Eve ran a hand over face and winced at the sharp pain in her temple. The bruise, she remembered.

“Maybe we should take a break,” Bellamy’s deep voice resonated close behind her and she couldn’t stop her frustration from bursting through her thin layer of composure.

Her head snapped to the right. “ _Maybe,_ if you would just give me a goddamn second, I’d be able to-”

A rustle sounded nearby, making their heads snap to the left. She jumped to her feet, withdrew her gun and pointed to the emptiness of the forest. The drunken fog over her mind cleared, her eyes focused, and the Earth stood still as Bellamy and she waited, listening and looking for any movement. The sound had been a scurrying kind of movement, too nimble for a human, but considering the planet enjoyed introducing new, inconvenient surprises… she didn’t dare assume anything. The area remained still and quiet for a long time, the only sound being the leaves brushing against each other in the breeze, until something dashed across the forest floor. And her finger landed on the trigger in a mere second.

“Wait.” Bellamy’s voice cut through the air, making her stop mid-squeeze before releasing. She looked over her shoulder at him, forcing a straight face as her head spun from the sudden rush of adrenaline. With a light, casual stride, he made his way forward until he stood next to her. He gave her a small smile and then jerked his chin forward. “Don’t think a bunny is worth a bullet.”

Eve turned her head and at first, she didn’t see anything but the trees. However, after a brief moment of scrutinization, her eyebrows rose and lips parted when she caught sight of a small, peculiar animal amongst the tan leaves, its brindle fur obscuring it against the foliage. Its tiny pink nose wiggled at the vegetation as it searched for food, its beady, black eyes vacant but attentive. Lowering her gun, she watched as it hopped a couple of feet here and there, living its peaceful and innocent existence… until it sniffed a bit more, found nothing, and then dashed off between the trees.

The corners of her lips slid upward as she imagined it running off to sneak into a forbidden garden, wearing a blue jacket and brown shoes like in the children’s books her mother read to her before bedtime as a child. Her mother who loved brewing sunflower root tea in the mornings and brushing her daughter’s hair at night.

Eve always imagined Earth smelling like the soft tea.

Letting out a breath, the tension lifted from her shoulders and she turned her head to thank Bellamy for stopping her from killing the cutest thing she’d ever seen, only to freeze when she found him staring down at her with a soft expression. She wanted to look away but something held her in place, something she couldn’t disregard this time and she couldn’t stop herself from letting her eyes roam over his tan face. He looked as he did a year ago except his curly, black hair grew to rest at his ears, his cheeks appeared more hollowed, and the bags under his eyes darkened a bit from sleep-ridden nights, she presumed. However, he still looked as handsome as before - with his strong jaw, cleft chin, benevolent round eyes that had the ability to make anyone melt where they stood, and a dashing smile that began to appear in front of her.

Clearing her throat, she managed to rip her gaze away before falling any deeper into the rabbit hole. “What’re you smilin’ at?” she asked, though not as harshly as she hoped. She pretended to adjust something on her jacket.

“Nothin’,” he replied with a light shrug. “Just… always liked your hair down.”

_Don’t do it. Don’t look._

Her voice of reason echoed from the back of her mind, pleading her to keep it together but, as if his words had reached into her chest and steered her, she looked to find his brown-eyed gaze trailing down the dark locks of her hair as they cascaded in untamed waves over her shoulder and down her back.

He always did like her hair.

“Don’t do that.”

His eyes flicked up to meet her deadpan expression and after a few seconds, a simper smile stretched across his face. “Don’t do what?” he asked.

Her eyes narrowed onto him. “You know what,” she warned, in no mood for his games. Then, she spun on her heel and stomped across the forest floor as she made her way into the general direction of their original path. Her teeth clenched and her hands tightened into fists as she tried to maintain the ire threatening to burst at the seams. It’d be better if he just tried to kill her, she decided, unable to endure his amiability when he tried to manipulate and influence the others to kill everyone she ever cared about on the Ark. When Eve stood at Octavia’s arrest and he asked - no, _pleaded_ for her help and then threw it back into her face. When he took _everything_ from her and ripped it to shreds.

And even with all that baggage gnawing at the back of her mind, she _still_ felt like puddy when he looked at her like that.

“Aw, c’mon,” he called after her. “There’s no reason why we can’t be civil.”

Oh, she was being civil - by not bashing him across the head and tying him up against a tree until the Ark landed, making her problems disappear. She continued walking, not caring if a four-armed bear came along and decide to catch a five-foot-ten hunk of annoyance for dinner.

“Did you even find the tracks?” he asked.

“Yup!” she lied.

“Yeah, right,” she heard him say to himself before traipsing behind her.

Eventually she did find them a few meters away but decided to keep the information to herself, just out of spite. Until he started accusing her of being lost. Would this day ever end?

oOo

“We’re here.”

Eve stopped before a line of shrubbery that stood above both their heights, blocking the mess lingering behind.

Bellamy’s eyes scrutinized the growth, checking for anything out of place, before turning to her. “After you,” he offered with a gesture of his hand.

“Such a gentleman.”

He smiled. “Well, like you said, you’re the one with the gun. Not me.”

She narrowed her eyes at him and then turned away to face the tall bush. Taking a deep breath, she focused on settling the rattling heartbeat in her chest. Some part of her hoped the bodies had disappeared during her absence, maybe dragged off by some animal or blown away by the wind. Fat chance, she knew, but a girl could hope. And that bubble of hope burst when she brushed past the branches and stepped into the clearing to find them in the same position - a few feet from each other, lying as stiff as boards. A knot tightened in her throat as a familiar sense of emptiness washed over her and then seeped into her bones, leaving her feel cold and numb.

The sound of Bellamy’s footsteps caught her attention and she cleared her throat, folding her arms across her chest. He stopped next her, his eyes roaming across the clearing. “Is this all of them?” he asked.

“Yeah,” she replied with a glance, wondering if he expected to find more when she managed to somehow survive two. He moved forward, trailing towards the body on the left - the red-bearded grounder.

Taking a breath, she pushed the memories of that particular grounder aside and set her mind on the task. “Setting up Jordan on that tree couldn’t have been easy,” she said, walking along the edge of the clearing. “But it looked like a two-person job.”

Bellamy crouched next to the corpse. His elbows rested at his knees and eyebrows furrowed in concentration as he examined it.

Eve watched him and after a long silence she decided to ask, “how’d you know?”

“Know what?” His attention still on the corpse.

She rolled her eyes. “This,” she said, pointedly. “How’d you know about _this_?”

He glanced up at her and after a few seconds of contemplation, he nodded. “I could tell,” he replied. “When Spacewalker asked about them, you had that look… same one whenever you-” He paused, and his eyes lifted to see her reaction, a look of caution etched over his tan face. She hid behind a straight expression, though, she felt foolish for asking. Of course he knew. He always knew whenever her day consisted of floating someone and he always could read her like a book, much to her annoyance. “I just knew,” he decided to say.

Her veil of indifference began to slip and so Eve averted her gaze, tightening her arms across her chest as she continued her slow pace around the clearing. His gaze lingered on her for a moment more before it dropped back to the scene before them, and with a lazy gesture of his hand, he asked, “wouldn’t mind telling me what went down, would you?”

“Seems pretty clear,” she replied, not interested in a debrief.

“Humor me.”

Eve stopped in her step. What the hell did he want to know that for? It was simple. They captured her, she killed them.

 _Be civil_ , she reminded herself.

Running her tongue over her teeth, she sighed and then turned to face him. “They tied me up to that tree,” she replied with an exasperated gesture to the tree behind him. “I cut my binds. And when _Beard_ over there got too close, I gave him a new breathing hole.” She turned her head and jerked her chin towards the other corpse. “His friend there showed up and I put a bullet in his skull. The end.” She didn’t want to sound so crass but the fewer details she shared, the less she needed to recall and relive.

But he paid no mind to her shortness as his brown eyes trailed over the bodies, examining their position, their wounds, and then at the dirt nearby. “That easy, huh?”

She scowled. One of the few skills Bellamy hadn’t excelled while on the Ark was Tracking, but that didn't make him an amateur. He knew how to read disturbances in good ‘ol plain dirt and she knew he could see the struggle. Quick, perhaps, but nothing had been easy about nearly losing her dignity and head.

“Yup,” she replied.

His tongue pressed against the inside of his cheek as he continued scanning the patterns in the dirt before looking up at her, his scrutinizing gaze landing on her hands before trailing up to the cut at her upper arm. “Uh-huh,” he hummed, and Eve choked on air at the sight of his scolding glare.

“I’m sorry, is there something you liked to say, _Blake_ ?” she retorted, daring him to start something. The day had been long and grueling, and the last thing she’d put up with was being scolded by _him_ \- by anyone. Dignity be damned. And why the hell was he, anyways? It's not like she asked to be placed in danger. She did the best she could… screw him.

After a few seconds, he let out a sigh, sending her a final wry glance before reaching for the corpse in front of him.

“What’re you doing?” she asked, failing to hide her irritation.

“Let’s see what we can found out about our new neighbors.” He proceeded to retrieve unidentifiable objects from inside the grounder's coat and a weight fell in the pit of stomach, replacing her boiling temper, as she looked over at the other body. She bit at her bottom lip, realizing she’d need to search that one as well.

… maybe she could let him do it? And risk looking like a fool after just having snapped at him?

_Not a chance. Get your ass over there, Logan._

Sighing, and with much reluctance, she trudged over to the grounder that tried to gut her a few hours ago and stood over him, examining his front. His clothes appeared ragged, though the leather of his coat and trousers looked tanned. Maybe he stained them with grass and dirt for aesthetic purposes, or perhaps, to blend in with the environment? Either way, it worked for him since neither the group or she had managed to spot him in the forest.

Trailing up his coat, her eyes landed on his face and her stomach churned at the sight of his pale face, blue lips, and the hole burrowed in his forehead. Her job on the Ark required her to be familiar with death, but not corpses. She signed off on arrest warrants, execution orders, and pressed the button, but she never dealt with the bodies - that job belonged to Dr. Griffin or the vastness of space.

Fighting back the queasiness, Eve lowered herself until she sat next to the corpse, her injured leg extended out. Glancing over at Bellamy to see him in the midst of unhooking a tomahawk from the other grounder's belt, she took a deep breath and began her search. Opening the flaps of his coat revealed an armored tunic and multiple daggers sheathed away along his waistband, enough for a whole kitchen set. After unsheathing them and wrapping them in her ruined camisole, she set them aside and continued. Within various pockets, some hidden, she found a palm-sized can - lifting the cover, she discovered a black substance that smelled of charcoal and something else. Rubbing the tarriness between her fingers, she figured it was some type paste, and then glanced over at the grounder’s face to see the same substance smeared across his eyes. War paint, she deduced, similar to what the natives used in ancient America. Closing it, she placed the can aside and it became part of a small pile as she found fishing line and hooks, cordage from spruce wood, pieces of cloth, and a sack of berries and nuts. The last thing to find was a folded piece of tattered parchment stashed away in a hidden pocket within the back piece of his coat. She unfolded it and what she found inside made her pause. Sketched on the sheet of animal skin in black chalk was a rather impressive drawing of an unsmiling woman with blonde hair - Eve assumed from the mere outline of her hair over the tan background, along with a baby bundled in her arms.

_Oh, no._

Eve closed her eyes, enduring the twist of her stomach and pang in her heart. Was it his wife… and child? Both of whom would never see him again? Had she taken yet another father from his family?

Like a flash flood, a torrent of memories coursed through her mind - images of people, their faces twisted in pain and sorrow as they cried at a pane of glass, begging for mercy for themselves… for their mothers and fathers... begging for help that never came. The screams, the howling and sobs echoed in her head but the silent ones haunted her dreams the most, the ones to leave without a word. They would stare into her soul and then take a piece of it with them as they disappeared into a black void.

“Find anything interesting?” Bellamy’s deep voice trailed across the clearing.

Eve blinked and then her jaw and chest tightened as her vision caught sight of her hand holding the etched portrait, the red tinge of it a cruel reminder of what she’d done. Releasing a low, shuddering breath, she shook herself out of the memories. She needed to stop… before the guilt drove her mad as it had before. She wouldn’t think of those people, she decided, not while she remained out in the wilderness. _A distracted soldier is a dead soldier_ , Kane’s words echoed from the back of her mind.

“No,” she replied to Bellamy in a low voice and placed the drawing back into the grounder’s pocket. Clearing her throat, she began the awkward process of standing without the use of her right leg when a hand shot out in front of her. She looked up to see Bellamy leaned forward, his newfound tomahawk stowed into his belt.

“Need some help?” he offered, a smile teetering at the corners of his mouth, knowing the particular significance of those words. A year ago she said those exact words to him, but instead, she stood where he did.

And it was then that she did smile at him, however slight, and took his hand and lifted herself to her feet. She didn’t expect him to pull so when she rose, she stumbled forward and Eve cringed at the tight sore in her right leg when she landed on it. The pain became so much worse, meaning the muscle had torn, presumably from the beast’s bite or her constant walking. Either way, she knew it’d need at least three days of rest before it returned to functioning status. How could she do _anything_ if she couldn’t walk?

_Perfect. Just perfect._

“It’s your leg?”

Bellamy’s hot breath brushed against the side of her face and she tensed up, the hairs on the back of her neck standing. Blinking, she realized the side of her body was pressing up against him, their hands clenched together between them while his free hand held her steady at her lower back. Turning her head upward, her eyes locked with his and she froze on the spot, once again being thrown back to a time when she craved being held by him.

“Yeah,” she said in small voice, losing her last breath and not daring to inhale in lest of breathing in his masculine scent.

“I can take a look at it… if you want,” he offered, his eyes roaming around her face, making her cheeks feel warm.

She stared up at him, dumb and transfixed, and decided she liked his hair down, too. Bellamy’s gaze landed on her lips and the dark look in his eye sent a clutching warmth throughout her body. One that induced a game of tug-o-war as her heart yearned to lean in while her mind ordered to pull away. A low ‘um’ escaped her lips with nothing else attached to it.

She couldn’t think, not while his smooth, masculine scent began to enter her nostrils and enthrall her tired mind. He whispered her name and for a moment, she thought she’d melt into a puddle of goo… until he leaned in.

“No,” she blurted, recoiling from his grasp. “That won’t be necessary.” She limped back a few steps, dusting off her jacket as if to wipe any residue of him. Clearing her throat, she folded her arms across her chest and straightened her back, meeting his gaze with an elevated chin. “But thanks for the concern, Blake.”

At first he looked disappointed, but the second his last name left her lips his eyebrows flattened into a annoyed expression. “Yeah,” he deadpanned, glowering at her before turning away and placing a hand atop of his tomahawk. “So… did they say anything to you?”

The muscle in his cheek twitched as he faced the clearing, and she wondered how much longer he’d tried to play this game with her. Because she wasn’t giving in. Not now, not ever.  “No,” she replied, turning away as well. “And they couldn't understand me. From the looks of what they carried, they were hunters.”

“And tryin’ to catch game with more meat than the two of ‘em can eat in a week,” he said. “... they weren’t feeding just themselves.”

Eve blinked, remembering the drawing of the woman. “There's more of them,” she said in a grave voice, and then her eyes widened to the size of the moon. Taking a quick step back, she turned head to the right to examine the nearby trees. “Maybe a whole community.”

Maybe they were being watched? A shiver crawled over her skin at the thought.

“Which means someone's going to come looking when they don't show up with dinner.”

 _Oh, no._ Her eyes closed. “Shit,” she whispered to herself. Bellamy was right, so right. Someone _would_ be looking for them and when they found their people dead and then placed two-and-two together… well, _there goes the neighborhood_ , Jasper’s words echoed in the back of her head. “We need to leave,” she proclaimed, her eyes popping open. Sweeping her hair out of her face, she began snatching up the wrap of knives and her pile of scavenged articles.

“What we _need_ to do is get rid of the bodies,” he said to her.

“How?” blurted Eve, spinning out around to stare at him with a bewildered look, the wrapped bundle tucked firmly under her arm. “Our tracks are _everywhere_.”

Releasing a heavy sigh, his hands found his hips and a pensive look crossed his face, his gaze trailing over the clearing. “We’ll get rid of those, too,” he decided.

Eve furrowed her brows. “That could take _hours_ , and we’re good but not _that_ good. No, we need to leave. _Now_.”

Spinning on her heel, she bent over and picked up the last of her items, shoving them away into any available pocket, before making her way towards the forest, her steps hurried but light. 

 _We’ll get rid of those, too,_ she repeated to herself, scoffing at the idea.  As if it would be so easy to dispose the bodies when the nearest river lied four miles away - the same one she nearly drowned in, _and then_ return to misdirect their tracks; that was, if they didn’t decide to cover them up all together. Too much work and the sun would set before they even came close to finishing. No, better to just lea-

Eve stopped in her tracks, not hearing Bellamy’s footsteps trailing behind her. She turned around to see he hadn't moved an inch.

“Blake!” she hissed. He glanced over to her and for a moment, she thought he was going to ignore her and place her in the awkward situation of really leaving him behind, but after a few seconds, he nodded and made his way towards her.

Releasing a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding, she traded a glance with him as he passed her by, and then watched him walk off into the forest. Giving the clearing a last, quick scan, she vowed to never return and spun on her heel to head back to camp where an angry lynch mob could be waiting for her.

 _Better them than savages_ , she thought. Though, she wasn’t too sure if there’d be a difference by the time she returned.

oOo

Bellamy took the lead, leading them through the darkening forest and Eve trudged behind, somehow managing to keep her eyes opened. He’d been silent since they left the grounders - not that she complained, but a bit of conversation would’ve helped her situation. Then again, she been nothing but a bitch to him the entire day, so why would he talk to her?

After a few more meters of dragging herself, she gave in. With a tired huff, she stopped to take rest, leaning herself against a nearby tree. Her head hung over her shoulders as she took slow breaths. _In and out, in and out._

The sounds of dry leaves crunching slowed and then disappeared. “You alright?” Bellamy called.

“Yeah,” she exhaled, shifting her weight against the bark and then leaned her head back, closing her eyes. The heaviness and tension of her upper back and shoulders began to lift and she wondered if she could sleep standing up. “Just… need a minute.”

Silence followed for a few seconds before Bellamy’s deep voice reappeared. “We’re losing daylight,” he warned.

“Well, by all means,” she mumbled, lifting a heavy arm to wave him away, wanting nothing more than to sit down to take a short nap. “Tell Clarke and Wells I’ll be right there.”

A five-minute nap - that’s all she needed. Sliding down the length of the tree trunk, she sagged into a sitting position, not hearing whatever else Bellamy said, and rested. Her muscles relaxed, her shoulders hunching forward and her mind closed for business as darkness fell over her.

_Just five minutes… that’s all… I…_

If she dreamed, she couldn’t remember. The only thing she remembered was being ripped from her heavy slumber as she jolted upright, and her chest filling with so much air that she thought it’d burst.

“Eve, wake up!”

The back of her head slammed against something solid when she scurried back, her eyes searching every which way. “What’s wrong? What’s happening?” she asked in a breath, the side of her face tingling with an odd mixture of a stinging and numbing sensation.

“You passed the fuck out, that’s what happened.”

Her eyes landed on Bellamy’s freckled, tanned face. He remained crouched at her side, one hand placed above her head to hold him steady, as he looked down at her with a furrowed brow. A mixture of concern and impatience etched across his face. She blinked a few times, taking steady breaths, before it all came back to her.

“We gotta keep moving,” he said, forcing a calm voice. “And I can’t leave you here.”

She nodded, remembering her words, and then felt grateful that he hadn’t listened. Who knows what could’ve happened to her. Clearing her throat and feeling a bit embarrassed, she rose to her feet. He followed suit, his arm extending out to hover over her in case she fell forward. And she nearly did when a wave of dizziness hit her so hard she needed to clamp onto the tree to regain her balance, her legs feeling like noodles.

Bellamy let out a sigh. “Here,” he said, stepping to the side and held a hand out to her. “Grab onto me.”

“I can walk,” she groaned, waving him away, hoping her stomach would stop making backflips soon.

“Barely,” he quipped and then gestured her to move closer to him. “C’mon, we’ll take it slow.” She stared at his arm as if it’d bite and he rolled his eyes, cocking his head to the side. “The longer we stay out here, the more dangerous it’ll get. So _let’s go_.”

Eve contemplated his words, but simply out of pig-headedness, knowing he spoke the truth. The darker the day became, the more dangers would arise. And though she still felt wary of him, she couldn’t help but acknowledge the kindness he’d shown her as of late, whether it was sincere or not. At this point, she didn’t care. She just wanted to lie down.

Sighing inwardly, she bit back her pride and she stepped into him, wrapping her uninjured arm over his broad shoulders. He adjusted to her weight and his hand rested on her waist.

“Thanks,” she murmured, without returning his gaze but could still feel his smile shine down at her.

“Yeah,” he said, his other hand wrapping around her hand at his neck.

A discernible flutter in her stomach appeared and she didn’t resist it this time, preferring the warmth it brought, as well as the one radiating from him as he pulled her closer to hold her steady.

And she was too exhausted to notice him glance over at the metal band under his fingers, before they continued on their way.

* * *

 

**Thanks for reading!**

 


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